Achille Maramotti, 78; Founder, Head of Italian Clothing Firm

Achille Maramotti, 78, chairman and founder of Max Mara Fashion Group, an Italian maker of women’s clothing, has died after a long illness, said a Max Mara spokeswoman, Antonella Melloni. She didn’t give details.

He also was a vice chairman of Credito Emiliano SpA, an Italian regional bank in which his family owns the largest stake, and a director of UniCredito Italiano SpA, Italy’s second-largest lender by assets, and of Mediobanca SpA, the country’s biggest investment bank.

Maramotti founded the Max Mara fashion house in 1951 in the northern town of Reggio Emilia as a maker of suits and overcoats for women and children. The company sells women’s clothes with brands including the Max Mara luxury collection and the Max & Co. high street line.

“He was one of the great figures in Italian fashion and a major innovator,” said Carlo Pambianco, a Milan-based fashion-industry consultant. The company runs about 1,200 stores worldwide.