MILAN, Mar 6, 2003/ FWD/ --- Max Mara has always had its polished heels planted firmly on classically elegant fashion ground. Sometimes this un-hyped territory is under-rated by fashion snobs on the hunt for the next big thing, but the Italian sportswear company continues to churn out the same beautifully crafted, wearable clothes anyway. And given the label's 50 years of success, and the mob of editors and buyers who packed into their show Saturday in Milan, there are obviously plenty of women out there who appreciate it.

Nothing remotely tricky or scandalous hit the runway, but that didn't mean the audience fell asleep either. On the contrary, Max Mara jazzed things up with a rocking soundtrack and a sharp collection filled with retro-inspired pieces and shots of bright color.

Although the collection was firmly set in the '60s, you can forget about pure miniskirts whizzing by. The Max Mara woman, in boxy shapes, cropped sleeves and Sabrina heels, has her roots in a refined Jackie O, but did play it up with hints of Twiggy.

The retro references worked out best in the strong showing of coats, the tour de force for Max Mara. Using luxurious cashmere and thick pure wool, coats came in a variety of shapes -- pea, cape, cropped and trench -- but all had a voluminous boxiness that harked back to past decades. Leather capes, shoulder flaps, and asymmetrical tucking were surprising elements that gave the Mod looks a strong update.

A shot of fuchsia in a mohair skirt, paired with a black slim turtleneck and tights, brightened things up a bit, but the biggest color story played out in large black and white or brown and orange plaid. This worked best when kept simple on long coats or ponchos, but lost a little focus on fussy glittering skirts.

The sparkle offerings, on any classic girl's wish list, came to a head at the end of the show with a series of evening pieces that shone to the moon with black sequins the size of a quarter. It was elegant for sure, but the chiffon trim and oversized sparklers looked, well, safe. These pieces had none of the updated feel presented in the remainder of the collection. But, with those 50 years of success behind them, Max Mara probably knows more about their customer than we do.