He's 7 years old and already sewing outfits for Sharon Stone. Little designer Max is taking the fashion world by storm and wants to be the new Gucci
I'm a designer!
Probably not many people are clear about their future occupation when they are children. That is, if we ignore the classic wish to be a princess or a garbage man. But Max was four years old when he told his parents he was going to be a tailor and fashion designer. "I had a dream of making clothes. So at dinner I told my parents I was going to be a designer," Max himself described the beginning of his career. As his mother summed up, she and her husband were shocked - they had never seen Max with a needle in his hand. But because children's wishes are meant to come true, Max's mother (who, incidentally, makes her living as an artist) made a cardboard mannequin so Max could try out what he wanted. And it turns out that the unbelievable can become real - in addition to making his first model, Max soon got a sewing machine and started taking free sewing lessons. Eventually, he surpassed even his mother with his skills. Now, some of his models sell for more than a thousand dollars, and Max's work has already caught the attention of celebrities.
Up at Fashion Week
While Max is undeniably talented, it was his Instagram profile that launched his career in the first place. Initially, it was just for people close to him to see his work. But as fans began to arrive by the thousands and now number nearly two million, it's no wonder Max has attracted far more attention than anyone initially expected.
It's also the social media fans who send Max a lot of fabric and other materials that he could use. But of course, the young designer also buys the various components himself with the money he earns from selling his designs - as his mother said, they have a rule in place that Max can use a third of his earnings for whatever he wants, a third to buy materials and a third to save for the future.
In any case, everyone is fascinated by Max's fashion creations, which include spectacular gowns, but also crazy models or pieces inspired by iconic outfits in which world-famous celebrities have glittered. And by the way, Max already creates bespoke looks for some celebrities, even collaborating with Sharon Stone. "He's probably the most beloved celebrity in Hollywood. She paid for Max's coat before Max even started working on it. She's such a big fan of Max!" Max's motheradded with a laugh.
Due to his popularity, Max has already participated in Denver Fashion Week a few days ago and has also received an invitation to New York Fashion Week. For the occasion, he is creating a line of swimwear for a special pop-up show. "I think women have to be beautiful even in the pool or the ocean. So why don't they do it?" asked Max, who decided to design a completely new type of layered swimsuit with bold sleeves that accentuate a woman's beauty.
By the way, it is women's dresses that Max specialises in - men's fashion, on the other hand, he does not create at all. He says his biggest inspirations are nature and the ocean, and his favourite colours are gold and burgundy. He doesn't draw his designs before making them, but creates them directly on his (now professional) mannequins. After using pins to create a design out of fabrics (a technique called draping, where the cut parts are folded or draped in different ways on a tailor's bust), he takes everything off the mannequin and moves to the sewing machine.
The future "Gucci"?
Max has not only impressed with his work, but also by referring to himself as Guccio Gucci, in reference to the famous fashion house - it was the famous designer Paolo Gucci who Max is also said to have seen in his first dream, or was in a past life. Incidentally, his mother also noted that his favourite shoes were Gucci loafers, which he got from his grandmother. Max loved them so much that he refused to take them off his feet, even in kindergarten, where they wanted him to exchange them for sneakers. It's no coincidence that Max dreams of running the Gucci fashion house or heading his own fashion brand in the future.
Max's talent could then be linked to his family's tradition in tailoring, as his great-grandfather was in the business, as was his grandfather - who ran a clothing store. According to Max's mother, both would be incredibly proud of Max. In her own words, she initially didn't believe her son's passion for design would last. She considered it more of a momentary fad - just like other childhood wishes like "being a garbage man". So far, however, Max is proving that he is serious about his future plans.
