​A collaboration between prominent Chinese artist Liu Wei and Italian luxury fashion house Max Mara was inevitable when there are so many points of intersection between their two worlds.

Liu has always been fascinated with rapid urbanisation and city landscapes, as is Ian Griffiths, Max Mara’s creative director, who first connected with Liu’s works at an exhibition titled Dreamlands at the Pompidou Centre in Paris in 2010. Max Mara too, is all about the city, known for its street smart, chic and luxurious urban kit made for the urban woman in the concrete jungle. 

Six years since Griffith’s first encounter, the pair embarked on a collaboration that finally revealed itself last month in Shanghai – Monopolis, an 11-piece capsule collection in Max Mara’s signature palette of black, white and camel, fused with Liu’s futuristic narrative. The collection was unveiled as part of the Pre-Fall 2017 presentation, and models walked down a runway dotted with Liu’s sculptures. 

The Max Mara Pre-Fall 2017 collection was urban with a focus on easy, instant star quality. Forties style razor sharp darted shoulders and cinched waists are the preferred silhouette, as are ruched tulle skirts, glamorous sweats and chunky heeled pumps. Pair it all with an opulent cashmere or camel’s hair coat for a look only Max Mara can pull off – understated glam. 

Liu’s capsule collection fit right in with its elements of street maps and architectural plans. Inspired by topography both real and inspired, Liu and Griffiths meticulously executed troupe l’oeil prints and jacquards that suggest blueprint plans and built contours on fuzzy knitted mohair sweaters to delineate an idiosyncratic urban matrix. 

The capsule was made available immediately following the runway show on December 15, exclusively on maxmara.com and in 45 flagship stores worldwide. Click through our gallery above for the highlights from the show.