Milan fashion weekWhat would Marilyn do? The Max Mara team landed on a perfect muse for Fall: Marilyn Monroe circa the pictures that photographer George Barris took of her on the beach in 1962. You know the ones: platinum waves swept to the side by the wind; dark swipes of cat-eye liner; nude under a towel that barely clings to her shoulders, or wrapped up in a chunky, hand-knit grandpa cardigan lying in the sand. Iconic and irresistible. A line-for-line copy of that sweater came down the runway; it looked as good now as it did then. But, as usual, it was the coats that were the main event here.

Gigi Hadid came out first, gripping a camel coat closed over a matching slipdress, nude seamed stockings, and tassel loafers. The clutch coat was never the height of practicality even in its heyday 50-odd years ago, and in our always connected era, it's perhaps less so, but how much chicer is it to hold onto your double-face cashmere than to cling to your smartphone? Other coats came with proper closures, but a weatherproof trench lined with mink was alluring nonetheless.

Elsewhere, an inside-out style with quilted lining fabric on its exterior looked like an elegant twist on winter's omnipresent puffers. Spinning out the mid-century theme, there were shrunken mohair sweaters and pencil skirts in menswear checks or needle-punched lace, and wiggly bustier- and slip-dresses worn with cozy knits that failed to sublimate the overall sexiness of the looks. Sounds like something Marilyn could've appreciated.

Fashion Brand: Max Mara | www.cbamd.com

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