m.a+ (Maurizio Amadei)

[magic]

Those description that you put in if it not means 'garbage' than i cant find any words that is more suitable.

[Peasant]

For someone who's never owned and worn pieces by him on a regular basis, these statements certainly hold little depth.

[delphine]

I didn't know my opinion would be met with such ardent dissent - so anyway, sorry - it wasn't nice and I take it all back.

My opinion was based on having seen and handled the garments/accessories many times, a few pieces my husband bought (when I wasn't with him) two of which malfunctioned early on and one he doesn't wear because of an odd fit (admittedly not necessarily an MA+ issue), and several pieces owned by my best friend who really does seem to like them fine so I don't have a huge problem with his work. I think what I wrote was mostly a reaction to the the statement that MA+ is the only relevant showroom in Paris which is an opinion and, I would say, a matter of taste - I personally find many brands showing in Paris to be preferable aesthetically and a much better value if considering quality for the money.

And I dare say, you wouldn't buy Balmain just to make sure you weren't missing something when you looked at it in the store. ? (probably will be seen as a sacrilegious comparison and will instigate another barrage of vehement defenses - just hyperbole, my friends). So why do I have to own MA+ to be able to say anything about it? I guess because to really really know the stuff you have to give it a long-term test.. But I don't see myself purchasing so guess I'll never really really know. So I'll refrain from commenting on the line in the future.

[Johnny]

/\ blindingly obvious, but correct none-the-less. it is possible that the very reason that you wouldn't buy something is because you looked at it, touched it, and thought it really didn't feel "worth" what was being asked for it. seems illogical to decide the buy something in those circumstances just so that you can "validly" claim that it's shit.

[kuugaia]

As Johnny has pointed out, I don't think it's necessary to own an item to make your opinion validated. But putting out a negative opinion without backing in a fanboy thread isn't likely to be well received. But now that you have given reason to your distaste, I think it's easier to understand.

MA+ certainly has a weird fit, that I agree with you as the 5 pocket pant and aviator both looked terrible on me. I think Amadei has a fetish for seeing male belly buttons. However, qualifying your argument with 'value for money' is just illogical in these circumstances. Can we really deem any of the labels discussed here...value for money? This discussion has been long beaten to death...as money doesn't equal quality either. Dick soles anybody? What people are squandering their money on is in between the lines...much more than getting clothes on your back.

I just think that the perception of MA+ construction being derivative of laziness and 'saving time' was outrageous. Only thing I can think of are probably the raw hems that gave off that impression.

[cjbreed]

well i am clearly an m.a+ fan and a supporter. but i understand what you're saying delphine. although here on SZ it isn't actually as overrated as u think. 50% of the people that chime in on it are not offering a positive review. however, many of these people don't actually own any m.a+. like i've said before, i think many of the pieces need to be worn and broken in and they need to evolve to suit your body before they can be appreciated. i have felt m.a+ fabrics before and been totally underwhelmed, only to have my mind changed after 6 months of wear. BUT, i'll concede if i had only seen certain pieces in a store i wouldn't have bought them. since all my shopping is done online i'm pretty well committed to something before it ever shows up at my door. i'm damn sure going to get my money's worth out of an expensive piece no matter what my initial impression is when i open the package lol. so as a result, i'm in it for the long haul and my appreciation grows.

and the comment about the construction being designed in an effort to save time is just incorrect. maurizio's pattern making is likely his strongest element and the construction is painstakingly good quality. most of the time.

now, all that being said i think i'm willing to say that maurizio's real strength is in the leather goods (bags, belts and accessories) and the shoes. followed closely by the outerwear. with respect to clothing it seems he has a stable of standards that he re-issues time and again with hit and miss results depending on material choices. the aviators, the raglan blazers, long coats, leather shirts and jackets. often times these can be the best item in your closet. other times they are just a shadow of what they could be. beyond these standards there is little to get excited about with each new season. there's always a handful of new designs that just don't really seem too interesting. my worry is that grandma has the skill but not the vision or creativity.

over time it seems more and more a testament to altieri's singular vision and overwhelming creativity at cdiem that started this whole bling povera aesthetic and that remains its highest peak.

and this is absolutley the wrong time for maurizio to come out with a dud of a season, with devoa, individual sentiments, lost and found etc. nipping at his heels

but still, m.a+ continues to put out enough superb and beautiful garments that i remain interested and loyal. it is the best of what is out there right now that suits my addiction to the drug that is cdiem. cdiem is heroin and m.a+ is methadone. or maybe its oxycontin.

this is perhaps a bad analogy. CCP is heroin. no, wait CCP is crack because it takes all your money in about 10 minutes...

[delphine]

I just think that the perception of MA+ construction being derivative of laziness and 'saving time' was outrageous. Only thing I can think of are probably the raw hems that gave off that impression.

CCP = innovative concepts and techniques + laborious and highly skilled construction process
MA+ = clever concepts but quite easy (in many many cases) construction process

Must we go into examples or is it sufficient evidence that people [who are cheap] make there own pieces from the ideas at home (I've met about 3) and amateur designers (I'll be nice and not name names) spit out very comparable (less the stellar materials) goods.

But perhaps just the clever concepts + very nice materials can raise the value to a satisfactory level. I think that's fair.

Sorry, I said I would comment no further. I lied.

I'm really not trying to trash the brand - I think it's cool!... Just not at the level that some put it at.

By the way, designing a garment with the construction time in mind is not a bad thing - on the contrary it is an essential skill.


edit: cjbreed - I must have posted seconds after you because I didn't see your response.

Thank you for the in-depth reply. It all makes sense and although I'm still not in accord on every level it is good food for thought.

[cjbreed]

CCP is on his own. the only reason he can be compared to anyone else is because he shares closet space with them. he remains the next level.

[cjbreed]

and thank you for your brave willingness to incite a discussion. that's what we need around here. opinions!

[kuugaia]

Yes, the DIY home people benefited from Amadei's ideas and innovation and have then gone to replicate his designs (perfectly acceptable). I don't see how this is adding to any sort of argument though? For what purpose do we purchase authentic items instead of the fake rip-off counterparts? Are we purchasing items for the literal garment or the idea/authenticity behind it? When buying from these type of designers, in a sense, we are paying literal tribute to the 'original' designer that gave birth to your DIY efforts and other designer mimic items. It seems like you are questioning whether or not Amadei put enough effort into his garments to justify the price you are paying.

Do shirts of this price range now have to be object dyed for it to be acceptable? A shirt is still a shirt...there's only so much construction it can take before it becomes something like this:

[Peasant]

I won't take up too much space, but feel the need to respond.
I've walked into many stores and gone over MA+ goods, glanced at the price tag and seriously laughed. I can't justify the cost of t's a basics (underwear?) like that. But CJB is right. Once worn in the pieces change. The fabrics make the garment. And he hunts for these special threads. That being said, I dislike 80% of what he produces. The fits all wrong for me. Short torso's and tight necks. The pants commonly look awful on me.

You clearly received a poor response because your initial comment gave zero detail. You don't like it because your friend doesn't. The end. After you explained, it's a good call on your part. And as you can see, some agree with you.

So much for not taking up space...but your comment about his construction being lazy is fucking laughable. Yes, there are some who can now make similar pieces. Copying something and/or making something similar is obviously much easier than coming up with the initial design. And the simplicity is often the most difficult aspect. Take the shoes made from a single piece of leather (currently at Atelier). I wouldn't buy them, but I find them very impressive.

[huckleberry]

I've handled his stuff several times now, the first time it was only a few pairs of pants and some tops. I came away wondering what the hell people were on about when they praised Amadei. More recently (last week) I had the chance to handle a much fuller collection which included footwear and leather goods. Its been said countless times before but this is where he excels. The footwear was brilliant, with the derbies being perfectly minimalistic. I can't see myself ever buying any of the clothing but if I ever had the money I would pick up several of the various footwear.
I do however personally believe he is slightly overrated as a designer as the areas he does excel at are less than 50% of the entire collection.

[Acid, Bitter and Sad]

no idea yet, but I've discovered the FW10 MA+ at l'E, and the new 5 pockets pants are awesome (different cut).

yes. Tried some on at A when I was in NY. Wish I had the money to kop right now. The fit on the 44 is incredible.

BSR / Enaml - are you referring to the 5-pocket pants that's in Carbon colour, in a kinda thick cotton?

[Peasant]

Personally, I find his strongest point to be his coats. And particularly his long coats. His bags, wallets and shoes are also very nice. I don't feel much of a connection to his taller boots, but I agree with you about the derbies and ankle-boots.
Some new stuff...

[kuugaia]

Footwear > Accessories > Outerwear > Basics.

The five pocket pant is the devil for shorter people. I definitely recommend trying that piece on before kopping. Something about the tube of the leg that kept flaring out at my knees. Or maybe it's just not low-ride friendly and needs to be worn at the hips. Pockets are also very small and probably only ma+ wallet friendly.