Maria Giulia Maramotti

I'm not sure what to expect from Maria Giulia Maramotti, one the heiresses to the MaxMara throne (she's the U.S. director of retail for the Italian brand and the granddaughter of the founder). We're scheduled to meet at the Beverly Hills Hotel's posh Polo Lounge for breakfast, just days before the Women in Film Crystal & Lucy Awards, which MaxMara sponsors. A fancy location to meet a fancy sounding person, I think. Only Maramotti is completely disarming in person. She's charming and open and more than game to discuss her seven tattoos (which she initially hid from her mom), her serious devotion to Keith Richards (one of her tats spells out "Gimme Shelter") and how she wants to change the perception of MaxMara ("it can be a little more young and funky").

“So much better than last year” was the chorus heard time and time again at the Whitney Art Party and auction last night at Skylight at Moynihan Station. Presented by MaxMara, with co-chairs Maria Giulia Maramotti (MaxMara's director of retail, and granddaughter of the brand's founder), entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman, and actress/model Nichole Galicia, the event managed to raise over $450,000 for the Whitney’s Independent Study Program. A fashion brand getting behind an art institution; we support that.