Acclaimed British editor and stylist, Kate Phelan is the creative mind of the new Weekend Max Mara Signature Collection called 24,  debuting for FW 2023-24.

A longstanding contributing editor to British Vogue with a wide-spanning eye and experience in fashion, and the former creative director of Topshop, Phelan kept the collection rooted in daywear to highlight Weekend Max Mara’s key values: great outerwear, strong tailoring, luxury knits, and versatile separates – rendered with an effortlessly “cool” hand that highlights an undercurrent of London legacy and Brit character. “I wanted the collection to reflect my style and the clothes I love to wear, capturing the enduring appeal of classics and well-made pieces. Style is about quality clothes that offer day-into-night versatility, to wear on repeat and keep forever,” says Phelan.

True to her love of modern timelessness, Phelan sought to create a collection that would still be relevant in 10 years, inspired by a story in Vogue from 1982 that after decades still channels an au courant gender fluidity in the looks, models, and photography.

Her starting point was a coat, a house specialty that straddles both masculine and feminine tendencies. Oversized and crafted in a classic Donegal tweed, it is a perfect mix of heritage and classic, luxury and longevity. Overall, the collection captures Phelan’s love for boy-meets-girls layering and styling. “I have always loved the proportions of men’s clothes on women,” she contends. “I find that  masculine silhouettes look great over a slim skirt or over a sensual slip dress.”

The key pieces comprise a flares trouser suit, a tweed mid-calf pencil skirt, a slip dress, a crisp white cotton shirt and wool knits, topped by handsome outerwear – a hand-sewn double-face wool robe coat, a Donegal tweed Crombie and a timeless parka with Mod beat. The mix of fabrics – Donegal tweed, wool and cotton over modern tech fabrications – plays into the tradition-meets-innovation feel.

Jazzing up a solid palette of winter white, black, grays and earthy tones are vivacious color-block prints inspired by the bold graphics of Face magazine, a glossy from the Eighties known for its trailblazing mix of fashion, music, and style. Flat lace-ups and sneakers add an easy and wearable twist to all the looks.

The overall campaign, shot by photographer Bibi Borthwick on model Edie Campbell, aims to build a strong message through women and fashion, in a portraiture of a timelessness and ultimate modernity that transcends trends.