MaxMara

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There are around 2,200 MaxMara boutiques worldwide, but no matter which location you choose, you can be sure that each one deals the slick, Continental style that has defined the Italian design house since 1951. Uptown, on Madison Avenue, the three-story flagship sees a steady stream of young professionals popping in on a lunch break to update their corporate couture with one of MaxMara’s signature top-stitched tailored suits or luxurious camel-hair coats. For the leisurely weekend shopper, there are flat screens showing runway shows, a rotating design exhibition, and rabbit-hair pillows strewn alongside lounging mannequins near the neat racks of clothing arranged by hue. Downtown, a flashier, tourist-heavy crowd visits the West Broadway location, snapping up the lower-priced, trend-conscious SportMax and SportMax Code lines that trade suiting for silky party dresses and deconstructed tops. Inspired by the company’s in-house seasonal magazines, staff at both locations sell the idea that customers can create a whole look under one roof, and a recent focus on accessories spices up the conservative label with jewelry, scarves, shoes, and bags. — Elettra Fiumi