Kate Mara looked sophisticated in Max Mara as she attended the Italian fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2027 show during Milan Fashion Week in Milan on September 24, 2026.
Standing 5’2” and wearing a US size 7 shoe, Kate Mara has built a footwear wardrobe around everything from streamlined pumps to towering designer heels. For Max Mara, she kept the tailoring classic while the geometric print, oversized black belt, and sparkling slingback pumps gave the look a more modern finish.
Pointed slingbacks were having a notable moment in Milan that week. Jennifer Lopez wore leopard and black lace Dolce Gabbana slingbacks, while Uma Thurman chose glossy black Prada slingbacks with bow detailing. Mara offered another variation on the silhouette, with Max Mara adding a crystal-covered back strap and short sculptural heel.
Kate Mara pairs a geometric Max Mara jacket and pleated mini skirt with black pointed-toe slingback pumps at the Max Mara Spring/Summer 2027 show during Milan Fashion Week on September 24, 2026 (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)
Crystal Slingbacks: Kate Mara’s Max Mara Pumps Add Sparkle
Mara wore black Max Mara slingback pumps built around a sharply pointed toe and a slim, low heel. The understated silhouette allowed the smaller details to stand out up close.
The vamp featured overlapping sections that created a wrapped effect across the front of the foot, while the slender slingback strap was covered in tiny crystals. That touch of sparkle provided a dressier contrast to the otherwise minimalist black pumps.
The shoes were finished with slim, short squared heels that gave the classic slingback silhouette a more sculptural profile from the side.
The combination of a pointed toe and restrained black finish is also familiar territory for the actress. Mara previously paired sleek black pointed-toe pumps with a colorful Giambattista Valli Haute Couture mini dress, using similarly simple footwear to balance a much busier outfit.
The pumps were lined with soft lamb leather and finished with leather outsoles.
A closer look at Kate Mara’s black Max Mara pumps, featuring pointed toes, overlapping vamps, crystal-embellished slingback straps, and slim squared heels (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)
The crystal-covered strap also puts the Max Mara pair in a familiar evening-shoe category. For another take on the idea, Meghan Markle’s Aquazzura Portrait of a Lady pumps combined a pointed toe with crystal-embellished slingback straps, showing how jeweled detailing can transform an otherwise classic pump silhouette.
Geometric Tailoring: Kate Mara’s Max Mara Skirt Suit and Sculptural Belt
Mara paired the pumps with a tan Max Mara set covered in a geometric isometric cube print. Three differently shaded rhombuses were arranged to create the illusion of three-dimensional cubes, giving the coordinated look an optical effect.
Up top, she wore a structured jacket with a high stand collar, long sleeves, and an overlapping front secured with decorative toggle-style closures.
Below, a matching pleated mini skirt continued the geometric pattern, with its structured construction adding volume to the short silhouette.
I especially loved the oversized black leather belt wrapped around her waist. Its sculptural, bow-like construction broke up the all-over print, defined her waist, and visually connected the outfit to her black pumps and handbag.
Kate Mara wears Max Mara’s geometric cube-print jacket and matching pleated mini skirt, cinching the coordinated look with an oversized black leather belt (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)
Finishing Touches: Ear Cuffs, a Sleek Bun, and a Structured Black Bag
The American actress kept the rest of the styling restrained, adding silver ear cuffs and rings rather than a statement necklace. A structured black top-handle bag and dark sunglasses continued the accessories’ black-and-tan color story.
She pulled her hair into a sleek bun, while softly flushed cheeks and coral-pink lipstick kept her beauty look polished and understated.
Kate Mara finishes her Max Mara look with a sleek bun, silver ear cuffs, a sculptural black waist belt, and a structured black top-handle bag (Credit: IPA / INSTARimages)
Mara’s Max Mara appearance also continued a particularly varied year for her footwear. At the 2026 Venice Film Festival, Kate and Rooney Mara showcased contrasting designer shoes ranging from platform peep-toes and pumps to Giuseppe Zanotti heels, while the Max Mara show saw Kate return to a much more delicate pointed slingback.
Celebrity Favorite: Why Max Mara’s Timeless Designs Endure
Kate Mara’s Milan Fashion Week look reflects what has made Max Mara such an enduring presence in celebrity wardrobes: precise tailoring, luxurious fabrics, and designs that make an impact without depending on conspicuous branding. While Mara chose a geometric skirt suit and crystal-trimmed slingbacks, the Italian house is particularly famous for outerwear that celebrities return to year after year.
The camel-colored Manuela coat is a clear example. Reese Witherspoon draped a Max Mara Manuela camel-hair coat over blue Victoria Beckham tailoring, finishing the look with neutral Christian Louboutin pumps. Kylie Jenner took the same classic in a completely different direction, combining it with black Alaïa leggings and dramatic Giuseppe Zanotti x Balmain boots.
Max Mara’s plush Teddy Bear coat has proved equally adaptable. Blake Lively has worn the oversized style with jeans and cream Rag Bone combat boots, while Taylor Swift paired a beige Short Teddy Bear Icon Coat with a preppy mini skirt and Christian Louboutin knee-high boots.
That versatility helps explain why Max Mara works so well beyond the runway: the clothes provide a polished foundation, while the wearer’s shoes can completely change the mood.
👠 Explore More Celebrity Max Mara Shoe Fashion Moments:
- 🤎 Kylie Jenner gave the iconic Max Mara Manuela camel coat an edgier finish with black Alaïa leggings and towering Giuseppe Zanotti x Balmain “Uma” boots at Heathrow.
- 🧸 Blake Lively dressed down a navy Max Mara Teddy coat with faded jeans and cream suede Rag Bone Sloane combat boots for winter in New York.
- 🖤 Jennifer Lopez built an all-black winter look around a Max Mara cashmere coat, wide-leg Brunello Cucinelli trousers, and chunky platform boots.
- 👟 Nicky Hilton brought a casual twist to Max Mara’s Teddy coat, wearing the plush camel style with denim and Khaite x Adidas sneakers in Soho.
- 👢 Taylor Swift balanced Max Mara’s cozy Teddy Bear Icon coat with Christian Louboutin knee-high boots, turning oversized outerwear into a polished winter mini-skirt look.
- ✨ Paris Hilton layered Max Mara’s Madame wool-and-cashmere coat over romantic white lace, completing the tonal look with crystal-embellished Amina Muaddi pumps.