Looking at cult, punk icons such as Sinead O'Connor and Siouxsie Sioux, Max Mara gave the working woman a rebellious makeover at Milan Fashion Week.

Alongside the classic camel coat - Max Mara's commercial bread-and-butter - their workwear took on an animalistic, 'cultural renegade' energy for AW18.

Max Mara leopard-printpinterest
LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT

Following Tom Ford's and Gareth Pugh's AW18 shows, which brought back leopard-print, Max Mara placed the print front-and-centre for both outerwear and workwear. The brand avoided any Cruella de Vil overtones by muting the colours, and varying the intensity with the scale of the prints.

From the conservative piped pencil skirts, and voluminous maxis emerged Max Mara band tees, illustrating the duality of the modern woman.

Doutzen Kroes blanket skirt and band t-shirt at Max Marapinterest
LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT

And what two elements of women's lives were the brand exploring? Max Mara explained that a woman in the 1980s would have either had a corporate job or spent time in sweaty night hangouts. But we don't live like that in 2018. Now she can do both - and then some. 'Things have changed, barriers smashed, boundaries blurred,' the brand said in its press release.

Legendary hair stylist, Sam McKnight was tasked with creating a look wild enough for this bad-add boardroom woman. He explained on his own Instagram that inspiration came in the form of another of sub-culture's great icons, stylist Judy Blame, who sadly passed last week.

'I spotted a pile of glittering brooches on [Max Mara creative director] Ian Griffith's desk' said McKnight of the creating the look. "And swiftly gathered the hair together and pinned the M in place. A perfect finish to what was an early eighties London influenced collection. Thank you dear Judy, your influence will be felt forever.'

Max Mara hair and make-uppinterest
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Make-up artist Tom Pecheux extended the grunge-glamour feel from clothes to face, with a heavily kohl'ed eye, and hot-pink lips.

While the vibe from head-to-two was radical, the separates were determinedly wearable - and actually modest. The skirts and suits - in black, grey, camel and check - were layered impressively for form-fitting pencil skirts atop drainpipe trousers.

leather and pink at max marapinterest
LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT

The casting was also a stellar line-up with the younger faces among the established 'Supers': Kaia Gerber, Halima Aden and Gigi Hadid with Lara Stone and Doutzen Kroes. Further evidence that Max Mara is wearable for all women.

supers at Max Marapinterest
LAUNCHMETRICS SPOTLIGHT

The aim of the show was to empower through clothing. Max Mara explains, 'Just watch a woman slip into a Max Mara coat; she feels like a star, she can conquer the world.' She's not just any star though. This woman's a rock star.