Max Mara Teddy Bear Coat: History, Fit, Care and Review

The Max Mara Teddy Bear coat is an oversized double-breasted coat in a deep pile of alpaca and wool on a silk base. Creative director Ian Griffiths designed it from a 1980s archive piece, and it was first shown on the Autumn/Winter 2013 runway. It is warm, plush and casual, and on Coveti the long version starts at $4,950, with short styles from $4,180.

Key facts

• Debut: the Autumn/Winter 2013 Max Mara runway.
• Designer: Ian Griffiths, who joined Max Mara in 1987 and is the creative director.
• Origin: inspired by an archive Max Mara piece from the 1980s.
• Fabric: a pile of alpaca and wool on a silk base. Current versions also come in camel hair and in cashmere, each on silk.
• Shape: oversized, with a lapel collar, low-set sleeves, horizontal welt pockets and a double-breasted front.
• Price on Coveti: from $4,950 for the long alpaca and wool coat, $5,280 in camel and $10,000 in cashmere.
• Brand: Max Mara, founded in 1951 by Achille Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Where did the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat come from?

Max Mara has kept an archive of its own clothes for decades, and Ian Griffiths went back to it for the Autumn/Winter 2013 collection. The starting point was a 1980s piece in a pile fabric. He enlarged the proportions, kept the double-breasted front and the lapel collar, and gave it the plush surface that earned the name. It was shown on the runway that season and has been in the collection ever since.

What made it stand out was the contrast with the house classics. The Teddy Bear looked soft, round and much more relaxed than a tailored camel coat. It became the newer partner to the 101801, the house coat from 1981, and searches for teddy coats now peak every December.

What is the Teddy Bear coat made of?

The fabric is the whole point. The pile is woven from fibre on a silk base, so the curly surface sits on a light, strong backing. That structure is why the coat looks so thick without feeling as heavy as a felted wool coat of the same size. It is not fur; it is a textile.

Max Mara now makes the shape in several fibres, and each one changes the look and the handle:

The alpaca and wool version is the classic choice and the one most people picture: curly, light-catching and very soft. Camel hair gives a slightly flatter, warmer-toned pile in the colour the house is known for. The cashmere Ladyted is the softest and the most expensive by a long way.

How does the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat fit?

It is cut oversized on purpose. The shoulders are dropped, the sleeves are set low, and there is plenty of room through the body for a thick jumper underneath. On a woman of average height the long version falls below the knee. Take your usual Italian size; sizing down tends to spoil the line, because the coat is meant to stand away from the body. If you are petite, look at the short versions before you size down in the long one.

Max Mara uses Italian sizing, so IT 40 is UK 8 and US 4, and IT 42 is UK 10 and US 6. The full chart is in our Max Mara size guide.

Which length should I choose?

Long. The original proportion and the most dramatic. Best if you are 5 ft 5 and up, wear long skirts and wide trousers, and want maximum warmth.

Short. The Olga and the Dramma stop around the hip and above the knee. They are easier for driving, cycling and commuting, and they work better over cropped trousers and jeans.

Hooded and biker. The Bravo and Spadino are short, zip-front parka shapes in Teddy fabric, and the Alcuno is a cropped double-breasted biker jacket. These are the most casual takes and the easiest to wear every day.

Capes. MaxMara Accessori also cuts the Teddy fabric into short capes and sleeveless gilet capes, from $2,120. They are a lighter way to wear the texture over a blazer. See more in our guide to cape coats for women.

How to style a teddy coat

Treat the Teddy Bear as a casual coat. It looks best with simple pieces that let the texture lead: a fine knit, straight jeans and trainers, and a ribbed turtleneck with wide trousers and loafers. A camel teddy coat over all-cream knitwear is the easiest outfit in the book.

Keep bags small and carried by hand. A heavy crossbody strap rubs the pile across the chest, and a structured top-handle bag looks better against the volume anyway. Leather gloves and a simple wool scarf finish it; our edit of women’s leather gloves has options. For tailored days, swap the Teddy Bear for a camel coat; we explain how in how to style a camel coat.

How do you care for a Max Mara Teddy Bear coat?

Follow the care label first. As general advice for pile fabrics, have the coat professionally cleaned by a specialist rather than washing it at home, and clean it once a season rather than after every wear. Between cleans, hang it on a wide, shaped hanger so the shoulders keep their form, and give it room in the wardrobe so the pile is not crushed.

The pile can flatten and mat where it is rubbed, usually under the arms, at the cuffs and wherever a bag strap sits. Brush those areas gently with a soft clothes brush in the direction of the pile. If it gets wet, let it dry naturally at room temperature, away from radiators, and shake it out before you hang it up.

Max Mara Teddy Bear coat review: pros and cons

What we like. It is properly warm. The silk base keeps it lighter than its size suggests. The oversized cut fits over chunky knitwear, and the shape has stayed the same for more than a decade, so it does not date. It also comes in more fibres and lengths than any other Max Mara icon, which makes it easy to find a version that suits you.

What to think about. The pile will show wear at friction points, so it needs gentle handling. The volume is a statement, and some women find it too much on a small frame. It is not water-repellent, so it is the wrong coat for heavy rain. And it is a casual coat: it looks out of place over a sharp suit.

Our verdict. If you live somewhere with a real winter and dress casually most days, the Teddy Bear is the Max Mara coat to buy. If you need one coat for the office, buy the 101801 first and add the Teddy Bear second. For a lower price with the same texture, Weekend Max Mara’s Tempera teddy coat in a wool, alpaca and mohair blend costs from $1,670.

Where can I buy the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat in the US?

Coveti stocks the Teddy Bear coat in its long, short and hooded versions and ships to the US by DHL Express and FedEx International Priority. Orders ship Delivered Duty Unpaid, so import duties are usually payable on arrival. See every style on the Max Mara hub.

The Teddy coats to buy now

1. Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Camel

Camel hair pile on a silk base in the house colour, with horn buttons and an oversized fit. The definitive version. From $5,280.

2. Tedgirl Alpaca and Wool Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Sand

The classic alpaca and wool Teddy Bear in a soft sand shade. Curly, light and very warm. From $4,950.

3. Tedgirl Alpaca and Wool Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Black

The same coat in black, which hides wear better and looks sharper in town. From $4,950.

4. Wool and Alpaca Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Dark Grey

An even split of wool and alpaca on silk gives a slightly denser pile. Dark grey is a quiet alternative to camel. From $4,950.

5. Ladyted Cashmere Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Sand

The Teddy Bear in 90% cashmere on silk. The softest and most luxurious version of the coat. From $10,000.

6. Olga Short Teddy Bear Icon Coat in White

A short Teddy Bear in alpaca and wool, with trimmer proportions that sit well over trousers and jeans. From $4,180.

7. Dramma Short Teddy Bear Icon Coat in Camel

Above the knee in camel Teddy fabric on silk, with the wide lapel and oversized fit of the original. From $4,400.

8. Bravo Camel Teddy Hooded Coat in Camel

A short, hooded, zip-front parka in pure camel Teddy fabric. The most casual way to wear the texture. From $4,840.

9. Alpaca and Wool Teddy Boxy Cape in Rust

A boxy MaxMara Accessori cape with a wide shirt collar and short kimono sleeves. A lighter Teddy layer for autumn. From $2,120.

10. Tempera Wool and Alpaca Teddy Coat in Camel

Weekend Max Mara’s long wrap teddy coat with kimono sleeves and a tie belt. The plush look at a lower price. From $1,670.

11. Small Teddy Boston Bag in Camel

Pure camel Teddy fabric on silk, trimmed in shiny leather, with a teddy bear charm. A small way to own the fabric. From $1,630.

Frequently asked questions

When did Max Mara launch the Teddy Bear coat?

The Max Mara Teddy Bear coat was first shown on the Autumn/Winter 2013 runway. Creative director Ian Griffiths designed it, taking inspiration from a 1980s piece in the Max Mara archive. It has stayed in the collection since, in new fibres and lengths each season.

Is the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat real fur?

No. The Teddy Bear coat is a textile, not fur. Its pile is made from fibre, classically alpaca and wool, set on a silk base. Current versions also use camel hair and cashmere, always on silk.

Is the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat worth it?

For women in cold climates who dress casually, yes. It is very warm, the oversized shape has not changed in over a decade, and it is offered in several fibres and lengths. It needs gentle care at friction points and is not water-repellent, so it is less suited to wet cities.

Does the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat run big?

It is cut oversized by design, with dropped shoulders and low-set sleeves. Most women should take their usual Italian size, because sizing down spoils the line. If you are petite, the short Olga and Dramma versions are a better solution than a smaller size in the long coat.

How much is the Max Mara Teddy Bear coat?

On Coveti, the long alpaca and wool Teddy Bear coat costs from $4,950, the camel version from $5,280 and the cashmere Ladyted from $10,000. Short versions start at $4,180. Weekend Max Mara’s Tempera teddy coat is a lower-priced alternative from $1,670.

What is a teddy coat?

A teddy coat is a coat made in a deep, curly pile fabric that looks like a soft toy, usually cut oversized. Max Mara’s Teddy Bear coat from 2013 made the style famous, and the term is now used for any coat in a similar plush fabric.

How do I clean a Max Mara Teddy Bear coat?

Follow the care label, and use a specialist professional cleaner rather than washing it at home. Between cleans, brush matted areas gently with a soft brush, hang it on a wide hanger, and let it dry naturally if it gets wet.

Shop every version on the Max Mara hub, compare it with the 101801 in our Max Mara coats guide, and see the wider picture in is Max Mara worth it.