Tag: Contemporary Fashion

Fit & Fabulous

Reliance Brands to Bring Italian Fashion Label MAX&Co. to India in 2026

Tanisha Cardozo

Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) has entered into a long-term master franchise agreement to bring MAX&Co., the contemporary Italian fashion brand under the Max Mara Fashion Group, to India. The partnership will introduce MAX&Co.’s modern, quality-driven collections and mix-and-match approach to Indian consumers, expanding its appeal among fashion-forward women.

The first MAX&Co. store is set to open in Mumbai in early 2026, followed by expansion into major Indian metros. The store will feature the full range of the brand’s offerings, including apparel, accessories, and its signature seasonal “&Co.llaboration” capsules — limited-edition creative partnerships that highlight its directional and non-conforming spirit.

“MAX&Co. embodies a bold, modern expression of femininity — dynamic, joyful, and unapologetically individual — a spirit that deeply resonates with the evolving style and confidence of Indian women,” said Isha Ambani, Executive Director, Reliance Retail Ventures Limited. “Through our partnership with Max Mara Fashion Group, we are proud to bring this iconic global brand to India and shape a new chapter in contemporary women’s fashion.”

Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, MAX&Co. Brand Divisional Director and Board Member of Max Mara Fashion Group, added, “We are pleased to join forces with Reliance Brands, whose expertise in building and nurturing global premium brands makes them an ideal partner. India represents a vibrant and forward-thinking market that shares our passion for creativity, style, and self-expression.”

Founded in 1986, MAX&Co. has evolved into a global contemporary fashion brand, distributed online and through over 400 stores worldwide. With this partnership, Reliance Brands continues to expand its portfolio of international luxury names, reinforcing its leadership in India’s fashion and lifestyle retail sector.

Fit & Fabulous

Marc Newson Transforms FENDI SS26 into a Pixelated Floral Dreamscape at Milan Fashion Week

Tanisha Cardozo

For FENDI’s Spring/Summer 2026 show at Milan Fashion Week 2025, acclaimed industrial designer Marc Newson redefined the runway experience by crafting a surreal and visually captivating set—an undulating field of pixelated color blocks inspired by quilt compositions and the organic randomness of flowers.

Held inside the Palazzo Fendi, the show space was transformed into a pixelated terrain, where boxes of varying heights and sizes were meticulously arranged in tonal shifts of white, yellow, turquoise, red, coral, and pink. From above, it resembled a magnified digital image, with each “pixel” acting as part of a larger, changing mosaic. As models walked, the surface moved slightly beneath them, creating an interactive experience that merged motion, color, and spatial awareness.

This set wasn’t just backdrop—it was integral to the narrative of the SS26 collection. The clothing responded to the set, incorporating many of the same hues and geometric principles. From cropped blazers and balloon hems to oversized cotton coats, each piece was designed to interplay with the environment, enhancing the volume and silhouette against the shifting background.

The materials—organza, jacquard, technical fabrics, cotton, and leather—were chosen not just for texture but for the way they interacted with light and motion. The garments explored fullness, void, and contrast, amplified by the moving, polychromatic set.

Musical direction by Frédéric Sanchez added another sensory layer to the experience. The score included excerpts from Italian opera and cinema, combined with electronic music, forming a sonic environment that evolved with the models’ steps. The music mirrored the dynamic shifts in both the set and collection, bringing rhythm and emotion to every look.

Marc Newson’s vision for FENDI’s SS26 show presented a dialogue between fashion, technology, and landscape—a reminder that the runway can be both a canvas and a collaborator. The result was a multi-sensory display of transformation, color, and form, solidifying FENDI’s position at the intersection of craftsmanship and future-forward design.