Max Mara keeps it in the family at Milan Fashion Week by enlisting Gigi and Bella Hadid to model the brand's homage to tropical modernity

Attracting a youthful audience is currently a driving force for the Italian fashion label
Karen Dacre22 September 2016

Max Mara kept it in the family in Milan this morning, enlisting Gigi and Bella Hadid to model it's latest collection.

A homage to tropical modernity, the Italian house cited the architecture of Lina Bo Berardi and her distinctly Latin American take on modernism as inspiration.

This was a contemporary carnival which combined palm prints with streetwear and Max Mara's signature affection for neutrals with vivacious, jungle-inspired shades.

Heavily themed throughout, everything from jumpers printed with lemurs to structured body con dresses were unveiled on the catwalk.

Max Mara SS17 at Milan Fashion Week

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Max Mara also took the opportunity to further its new found reputation as a purveyor of leisurewear including high performance textiles and nylon in to the collection. Leggings printed with a jungle motif were presented alongside oversized parkas.

While Max Mara's key customer is a working woman who has long appreciated the brand for its no nonsense outerwear and skill with suiting, attracting a youthful audience is currently a driving force.

Giovanni Giannoni/WWD/Rex

It is this that makes Gigi Hadid - also the star of its current ad campaign - an appealing addition to its line up of ambassadors.

Along with sister Bella, Gigi brings her populist breed of street credibility to the Italian clothing giant.

As proof of her appeal, she attracted a crowd of screaming fans to Max Mara's Milan flagship last night when she arrived to host a cocktail party in honour of its newly launched Bo bag.

AP Photo/Luca Bruno

While Gigi's fans are unlikely to go crazy for the fauna effect pencil skirts and oversized zebra coats unveiled on the catwalk today, the silhouette on offer for next summer undoubtedly takes its lead from her favoured aesthetic. Skinny leggings worn with cropped bomber jackers and visors in corresponding shades were indicative of the Californian's favoured off duty look.

If Max Mara is lucky they may also find that their accessory sales are somewhat boosted by the model's input. Among their options for next summer is a pair of chocolate brown sunglasses. A pair of stacked soled clogs may also ignite excitement among her mega fans.

It's been a busy few weeks for Hadid who launched her debut collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger at New York Fashion Week earlier this month.

Among the highest paid models in the world right now, she is the go to girl for brands looking to communicate with youthful consumers through social media. Only time will tell if it works for Max Mara.

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