If you’ve ever spent an afternoon hunting through the racks of a high-end consignment shop or scrolling through late-night eBay listings for a vintage 101801 Icon coat, you’ve likely seen these numbers. Max Mara RN 73136 CA 12177. They appear on the white care labels of almost every genuine Max Mara garment sold in North America.
But here’s the thing: most people think these numbers are a "serial number" or a "style code" that can prove a coat is a rare 1990s runway piece.
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Honestly? They’re not.
If you’re trying to use these digits to figure out if your thrift store find is a "Teddy Bear" coat or a "Manuela," you’re going to be disappointed. These numbers are basically just corporate IDs. They tell you who imported the coat, not which coat it is.
What do these numbers actually mean?
Let’s break it down because it’s kinda simpler than the internet makes it out to be.
The RN 73136 is a Registered Identification Number. It was issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States. In this specific case, 73136 is assigned to Max Mara USA, Inc. Any garment legally imported and sold by Max Mara in the U.S. is required by law to have this number on the tag if the brand name isn’t already clearly visible.
The CA 12177 is the Canadian equivalent. It’s an Identification Number issued by the Competition Bureau of Canada. This one is registered to Max Mara Canada.
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So, when you see Max Mara RN 73136 CA 12177 together, it just means the garment was produced for the North American market. It’s the "passport" that let the coat cross the border.
The big mistake: "Is it authentic?"
I see this all the time on resale forums. Someone posts a grainy photo of a tag and asks, "I found this Max Mara with RN 73136, is it real?"
The short answer: maybe.
The long answer: a fake coat can easily copy a real tag. Counterfeiters aren't stupid. They know that if they stitch "RN 73136" into a knockoff, a casual buyer might think, "Oh, it has the official registration number, it must be legit."
Actually, the absence of these numbers is sometimes more telling than their presence. If you’re buying a coat in New York or Toronto and it doesn't have these numbers, it might be a European import (gray market) or a fake. But having them doesn't automatically mean you've struck gold.
How to actually tell if your Max Mara is real
If the RN and CA numbers won't save you, what will? You have to look at the "bones" of the garment. Max Mara is famous for its craftsmanship, which is incredibly hard to fake at a low price point.
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- The "Puntino" Stitching: Look at the edges of the lapels and pockets. Authentic Max Mara coats often feature a very specific, tiny running stitch that looks hand-finished. It’s subtle. It’s not a bulky machine zig-zag.
- The Lining: On iconic models, the lining is often a monogrammed viscose that feels heavy and cool to the touch. It shouldn't feel like "cheap" static-y polyester.
- The Composition Tag: This is where the real data lives. Max Mara uses premium fibers. If the tag says RN 73136 CA 12177 but the fabric content is "100% Polyester" on a coat that’s supposed to be wool or camel hair, you’ve got a problem. Real Max Mara uses virgin wool, cashmere, and camel hair.
- Weight: A genuine Max Mara coat has "heft." Even the lighter ones feel substantial because of the fiber density.
Where the confusion comes from
Why do people keep searching for Max Mara RN 73136 CA 12177?
Basically, it's because these are the most prominent numbers on the tag besides the size. When people want to identify a vintage piece, they grab the first string of numbers they see.
Because Max Mara has used these same registration numbers for decades, you’ll see them on a silk dress from 2005 and a wool coat from 2024. They don't change with the season. They don't change with the style. Using them to identify a specific model is like trying to find a specific person by searching for their "Country of Birth." It narrows it down, sure, but there are still millions of matches.
Actionable steps for buyers and sellers
If you’re currently staring at a tag with these numbers, here is what you should actually do:
- Ignore the RN/CA numbers for dating: They won't tell you if the coat is from 1995 or 2015. Instead, look at the logo on the main neck label. The font and style of the "Max Mara" script have evolved slightly over the years.
- Search for the Article Code: Look deeper into the care instructions. Usually, tucked behind the main white tag, there is a smaller, translucent or paper-like tag. It will have a longer string of numbers—this is the actual product code. If you Google that number along with "Max Mara," you might actually find the original retail listing.
- Check the Brand Line: Max Mara isn't just one brand. Is it S Max Mara? Weekend Max Mara? Max Mara Studio? Each has a different price point and quality level. They all use the same RN 73136 because they are all owned by the same parent company.
- Feel the fabric: If you're buying in person, trust your hands. Camel hair has a very specific "ripple" texture (called zibellinato). It looks like waves in the fabric. Cheap wool can't mimic that.
Stop worrying about the registration numbers. They just prove the coat was meant to be sold in a boutique in Soho or Vancouver. To find the truth, you have to look at the seams, the weight of the wool, and that tiny, hidden product code buried deep in the lining.
Next steps for you:
Locate the small, secondary tag hidden underneath the main care label. Look for a sequence that starts with a series of numbers like '101' or '501'—this is your actual style ID. Once you have that, you can search for the specific model name to determine its current market value on resale sites.