A fusion of ethereal nonchalance, laissez- faire hippy- chic and alluring feminine sensuality, the maxi dress is the physical incarnation of a hybrid of qualities which women all over the globe aspire to possess. Rarely can a mere syllable conjure up images from the past few decades, and indeed, encapsulate a trend, in the same way that the term ‘maxi’ can; for from the iconic seventies boho look, adorned with wood carved beads, bangles and head bands, to the modern interpretations of the early noughties and now the next decade of the new Millennia, the maxi invokes the mantra ‘more is more’: more fabric, more allure, more sensuality; more all round showstopping, head turning fabulous-ness.

Sheathed in one, a woman may almost present the illusion that her appearance is of no consequence to her- this is merely a garment which she slid on with no prior thought and which is thus testament to her innate attractiveness and style. Au contraire, fashion illiterate alpha males, a maxi is most certainly worn with the knowledge that it has been designed to turn heads, to captivate the opposite and the fairer sex alike, to inspire thoughts of days and nights spent lounging on a sun bed in a tropical paradise and basking in the sunshine of a music festival alike. A maxi is a statement-  the tangible product of a Madonna complex. So covered and yet so revealed, so sensual and yet so unobtainable- that is what a maxi is designed to portray. And on the right woman, with the right attitude, the result is astounding.

This seasons maxi, in keeping with the nude, sheer predispositions of the majority of collections presented for Spring/ Summer 2010, is predominantly derived from flesh coloured tones, expressed in the most delicate of fabrics. From pieces shown at Chloe (frothy tiers and ruffles in the most unassuming of pale shades) to Alberta Ferretti ( maxis that equate to a second skin: silhouette skimming fabrics in tones that seamlessly merge with the model’s skin hues) and Missoni ( again, maxis were crafted in the lightest of shades; however the styles shunned the lack of embellishment and accessories endorsed by the afore mentioned fashion houses) ‘nude’ and ‘sheer’ may be observed to be this seasons buzz words with regards to the maxi style.
 

Certain designers did however appear to stage a partial rebellion against the prevalence of such simple, colour- less garments. Kenzo has unveiled a glorious maxi concoction featuring an apparently nautical themed colour palette with an embellished waist line; whilst Stella McCartney offered a delightful riot of colour in the form of a maxi adorned with dots of red, fuchsia, baby pink and chocolate. The reigning King of Print Emilio Pucci also displayed a maxi which looked to be inspired by the ocean- splashes of various tones of blue on a floaty design emulated the effect of magnificent rolling waves as his models sashayed down the runway. 

A clear, unanimous statement does, however emerge from the vast majority of designers for whom the maxi has been presented as a summer 2010 staple, due to the uniformity of the textures which the various houses utilised. The maxi should be formed of sheer, loose and above all, delicate materials: the epitome of a hippy- chic vibe fused with a feminine elegance invariably calls for a foray into the world of light- weight, sheer fabrics draped in an effortless manner.

To shop the look visit MyTheresa

Words by Claudia Canavan. Image courtesy of Vogue.com.

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