Max Mara

   This company was founded in 1951 by Italian born Dr. Achille Maramotti (1927-2005). Although trained as a lawyer, his mother's influence from owning a patternmaking school inspired him to enter the fashion business. His company started in coats and suits. It expanded over the years with the hiring of such notable designers as Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (1975) and with the Sportmax line designed for Anne-Marie Beretta, Karl Lagerfeld, and Dolce & Gabbana. Max Mara was best known for its camel coat introduced in 1982. The coat was included in each collection and was widely copied. In 2001, Max Mara opened an architecturally exquisite store in New York's SoHo district that added to its roster of 1,790 stores worldwide. Today, the house of Max Mara is still family-run with son Luigi Maramotti as chairman. The company produces a full range of sportswear and coats under the Max Mara label, a plus-size division, Marino Rinaldi, named after Achille's mother, and a contemporary line called Max & Co. A fragrance and an eyewear collection also bear the Max Mara name.