Maksu

Maksu releases every women's clothing style in a run of no more than fifty pieces - a rule the brand has followed from day one.

The founder, Mehmet Aksu, spent ten years working in apparel production at the Turkish company Mass Design, and he couldn't make peace with what he saw as an obvious gap in the fashion industry: on one side, well-made, reasonably exclusive clothes in quality fabrics that cost as much as luxury; on the other, cheap mass-market; and in between - almost nothing. In 2019 Mehmet assembled an experienced team of fashion industry professionals in Madrid with the goal of filling that gap.

The brand Maksu, named after its founder, opened its doors in Madrid in February 2020 - two weeks before the Covid lockdown began. But those two weeks were enough to confirm that the niche was right and the demand was real.

So what's the deal with Maksu?

The fabrics are Italian - silk, linen, jacquard - plus Liberty cotton from Britain. The design is timeless but never boring: bold prints, contrasting details, unexpected combinations. Each style is limited to fifty pieces. And the design team works right on the shop floor rather than in a separate office - that way they see customers' reactions first-hand and factor them into the next styles.

The backbone of the Maksu collection is midi dresses: draped silk, V-neck satin, jacquard with a twist at the bodice, light and soft viscose with an asymmetric cut.

You'll also find blouses with open shoulders or lace embroidery, wide-leg palazzo trousers, sharply cut blazers. Bright paisley, leopard and geometric prints sit alongside pieces in milk-white linen and indigo silk. Accessories include evening bags and totes, pouches, scarves, leather belts, jewellery and shoes.

The Maksu flagship store sits in the heart of Salamanca on Calle Lagasca, surrounded by boutiques of global brands and international chains. It's decorated in warm natural tones and features art objects by Gabi Calderón Chillida, granddaughter of the great Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida. But it stands out for more than just the interior: the neighbouring boutiques sell the same things in Madrid, Paris and Tokyo, while here every piece comes out in a tiny run - and when it sells out, the style is gone for good.