Satin, sheer and sparkles: 16Arlington are party-ready for SS22
16Arlington invited us to join them on the dance floor this season with girlhood glitz and plumes o’plenty.
DESIGNER: 16ARLINGTON
SEASON: Spring/Summer 2022
EVENT: London Fashion Week
LOCATION: Somewhere on the URL…
It’s official, 16Arlington are peppering the fashionscape with fashion faux pas. Since the brand’s inception in 2017, founders and couple Federica Cavenati and Marco Capaldo have explored pan-cultural European effervescence. Now, they are channelling deconstructed y2k party-wear. Clogs, feather boas and fishnets? Nineties kids - 16Arlington have got you covered.
Nobody does razzle dazzle like 16Arlington. Cavenati and Capaldo revived their ultimate evening aesthetic for London Fashion Week this season, subtly dropping the 27-look collection via Instagram. The brand dialled down their trademark high-octane opulence, embracing nineties silhouettes and modern femininity for SS22. Each look was a nod to the post-pandemic desire to party: flowing tulip-bottom flares, sexy sheer hosiery, perforated satin dresses and plunging ruffled jackets drew the line between maximalism and minimalism. Traces of nonchalant cool-girl casual wear were introduced by oversized drop-waist buttery leather trousers, twisted barely-there bralettes and chunky clog heels which featured throughout. And - of course, the collection was infused with the brand’s signature plumes of wispy ostrich feathers that projected from asymmetrical hemlines.
Peachy pastels, chocolate and grey formed the colour palette of the collection, which was disrupted by apple green embellishments and marabou boas contrasting the bubblegum pink studio backdrop. The brand exercised their frothy sartorial prowess with a melting pot of historical references. A penchant for Italian couture was expressed in the camp eccentricity of the feather trims and mermaid tail skirts, while fluorescent mesh, pirate-esque shirts and raw-hem details elevated the collection with punkish spirit. Sleek form-fitting suits alluded to Scandinavian tailoring and futuristic bags paid homage to the duo’s constructional techniques. The collection wasn’t without a generous lashing of sex-appeal either. See-through panels, keyhole cut-outs and halter neck crop tops celebrated the female form, bearing resemblance to the sensual designs of NENSI DOJAKA and SUPRIYA LELE.
At a time when the thought of dressing up is a polarising concept, 16Arlington are putting the quirk back into evening wear. With their infectiously outlandish designs, the brand’s pieces are perfect conservation starters on those long-awaited nights out. From clubs to red carpets, 16Arlington are reinvigorating the party-scene - one sequin, crystal and feather at a time. After all, the label’s DNA lends itself to the indisputable notion that more is always more.
Images courtesy of 16Arlington.
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