You can tell a brand is doing exceptionally well when celebrities from Amal Clooney to Lady Gaga sport its sequinned dresses on red carpets; closer to home, fashionistas have been spotted wearing its creations at parties across Asia. In just five short years, 16Arlington has become the go-to brand for occasion dressing.
Partners both in life and work, Marco Capaldo, a London-born and bred Italian, and Federica “Kikka” Cavenati, an Italian student, founded the brand after they graduated from the London outpost of fashion college Istituto Marangoni in 2017. “It was a real passion project between the pair of us; it was a combination of our personal and design aesthetics,” Capaldo tells Tatler over video call. “What came with that was a brand that really empowered women, and was all about feeling. It was something that we were creating to make the wearer feel like the best version of herself.” The label name came from the address of the flat they shared at the time, where friends would come to hang out but also try on the duo’s co-designed pieces.
Capaldo and Cavenati shared a rare compatibility in which their visions and aesthetics found a middle ground: a great marriage of raw elegance, unapologetic glamour and powerful silhouettes. People would recognise the brand from recurring elements including elaborate feathers, liquid sequins and risqué cut-outs. “Those textures have become rooted in a way as part of the DNA of the brand,” says Capaldo. “But we really push every season to reinvent, reimagine and kind of restrict how we execute those pieces, whether for one season we’re changing it from an ostrich to a marabou or layering it under netting, there’s a constant evolvement.”
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Old-World CHARM
Professional photographer and content creator Zipeng Lee takes off to Switzerland to experience some of the country’s most storied heritage hotels
THE World ACCORDING TO Redzepi
Renowned Noma chef René Redzepi and executive producer Matt Goulding unpack Apple TV's new eight-part docuseries, Omnivore, and its exploration of humanity through food
COURAGE OF CONVICTION
Tatler speaks to Bing Chen, Prabal Gurung and Kevin Lin to discuss how their non-profit Gold House is changing the future of the Asian diaspora
INDUSTRIALI
Exploring the important sustainability efforts taking place beyond obvious industries
THE BALL'S INHER COURT
China's most celebrated tennis star Li Na opens up about her career, influencing young athletes and her continuous learning journey
Love Story
Set in Paris, Graff's new bridal campaign marries the timelessness of love and diamonds
Over the Rainbow
The inspirations behind Hermés creative director for jewellery Pierre Hardy's latest and gorgeously colourful high jewellery collection surprise and delight
Twist and Turn
Bvlgari's debut Tubogas jewellery collection reimagines a classic technique with 16 stunning creations
Game On
From diamond‑set carabiner‑inspired clasps to a carbon fibre cuff, Chanel knocks it out of the park with Sport, an audacious and innovative high jewellery collection unlike any other
The Wrist Taker
Shipping scion and basketball team owner Hendi Widodo unlocks his vault of rarefied timepieces