Why 16Arlington is the label to shop this party season

Image credit: courtesy of 16Arlington.

Marco Capaldo and Federica Cavenati, the founders behind cult label 16Arlington, know how to make conversation-starting party pieces. The design duo met while studying at the London branch of Istituto Marangoni, the legendary Italian school of fashion and design. Both took inspiration from their own Italian heritage (Capaldo was raised in London, while Cavenati is from Bergamo, near Milan), but their practices varied greatly: Cavenati had a minimal, sculptural aesthetic, while Capaldo loved glitter, crystals and all-out glamour. When they became a couple and decided to collaborate, the outcome was a brand that was equal parts elegance and exuberance.  

Image credit: courtesy of 16Arlington.

They founded 16Arlington in September 2017, working firstly out of their shared flat on Arlington Street, London, and then from a studio. Global stockists took notice — Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Lane Crawford in China, Selfridges in the UK, Penelope in Italy — and the brand quickly amassed a celebrity clientele. Lady Gaga wore their silver midi-dress to a Q&A for in November 2018; Jennifer Lopez sported a purple-hued feather coat backstage at Met Gala 2019; and in July, Lena Dunham donned an orange-sequinned gown with marabou trimming for the London premiere of . In February 2019, they passed yet another milestone: joining the London Fashion Week show schedule for the first time, furthering the global reach of the company.                 

Below, meets the pair to discuss the growth of their brand, their “Cher of Italy” Raffaella Carrà-inspired spring/summer 2020 collection and what we should all be wearing when the festive invitations start pouring in.

Image credit: courtesy of 16Arlington.

The brand is named after your first studio on 16 Arlington Street, London. How did that location inspire the label?
Marco Capaldo [MC]: “We wanted to live together after university, and needed a place where we could set up a studio in our home. We found this derelict building on Arlington Street that was being resold, and we had it for eight months.” 

Federica Cavenati [FC]: “We found out that the flat was above a brothel on our first night there. Our dog escaped, ran down our stairs and somehow went into it. I followed him and when I looked up, all I could see were fishnets and glossy trench coats.”

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MC: “It was a bit mad, but we loved the flat because all our friends and family would come round and crash at ours, steal the samples we were making and wear them on nights out. They’d come back the next day with their friends to place orders.” 

Image credit: courtesy of 16Arlington.

What was your big break?
MC: “We put together a small collection in 2017 and took it to tradeshows in Paris. Then, [chief brand officer of Moda Operandi] Lauren Santo Domingo wore one of our coats! She got it through [celebrity stylist] Rebecca Corbin-Murray who’d seen our graduate collection and reached out to us for a piece. After that, Moda Operandi came on board and it just snowballed from there.”

Image credit: Getty images

Now you’re stocked across four continents. Why do you think the brand has such a global appeal?
MC: “We’re all about promoting a good time and there’s definitely an element of escapism, especially with what’s going on around the world politically. It’s not necessarily about forgetting what’s going on right now, but rather creating a sort of safe haven.”

Image credit: Shuttershock

Was that a jumping-off point for the spring/summer 2020 collection, too?
MC: “There were nostalgic nods to the 1960s and we took disco queen [Italian singer] Raffaella Carrà as our muse. She’s the Cher of Italy. The collection had beaded gowns, feathered cocktail dresses and lamé suits. We’re always thinking about what our core customer wants to wear and how we can turn up the volume.”

Image credit: Shuttershock

What have been your highlights so far?
MC: “It’s amazing to see VIPs — Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Lena Dunham, Jorja Smith — in the brand, but then the other day we were rushing down the stairs of the Tube at Oxford Circus station because we saw someone wearing our coat. Real women are parting with their money to buy something we’ve designed.” 

FC: “We get tagged in so many posts on Instagram. I look through the tags daily, plus every weekend we have a routine where we go to Selfridges and Harvey Nichols to see the collection.”

Image credit: Shuttershock

If we only buy one item from 16Arlington this party season, which one should it be?
MC: “Our strapless Minelli dress with the feather hem is always a bestseller. It’s timeless.”

FC: “And looking ahead to spring/summer 2020, we love the black-and-white leather coat. It’ll be a staple in my wardrobe for the coming season.”