Federica Cavenati, co-founder of the British firm 16 Arlington, has died at the age of 28 from a “rapid and sudden illness,” according to his family. Her name may not be well known, but she was the architect of many of the outfits that Jennifer López, Lizzo, Lady Gaga or Amal Clooney have worn in recent years. In 2017 he founded with his partner, Marco Capaldo, 16 Arlington, a brand that combined minimalist cuts with sequins, glitter, tulle and other festive elements and that soon became a cult banner. Your idea, back to glamor and the eccentricity of the past, soon made giants like Net a Porter, Browns or Bergdorf Goodman interested in his collections.
Lena Dunham at a 16 Arlington parade in February 2020.
Marco and Kikka, as her environment knew her, met while studying fashion. They soon moved in together, and named their brand after the building and the street they lived on. As celebrities made their brand more visible, they began to become famous as a couple. “I feel very fortunate to have witnessed the love they professed”, writes her friend Lena Dunham in an obituary published in the US edition of Vogue. The two met when the artist went, in 2018, to Cavenati’s studio to dress for a premiere in London. They became so close that Dunham started wearing 16 Arlingtons to almost every event she attended, even walking for the brand. “Kikka loved fashion with capital letters (vibrant colors, luxurious textures, and the dissonance that is created when you add a little drama to your everyday clothes). It was like marrying the flamboyant world of Bob Mackie by dressing Cher, with the sophistication of the attire in an old car race, ”Dunham writes.
The pandemic obviously affected 16 Arlington’s glamorous business. Their imposing dresses, what they called casual glam, they weren’t fit for a world without parties. But Cavenatti did not want to change his idea of design one iota. “I think there will always have to be an element of fantasy in what we do. We will focus on luxurious materials that may be easier to wear, but will always have that touch of glamor with feathers and glitters “, commented the designer in a recent interview. During the past year, in fact, they were one of the firms chosen by the British Fashion Council for receive a fund to help them keep the company afloat. In recent months they have gained relevance again after dress up billie eilish in the already viral photoshoot he made for him Vogue British or, more recently, Amal Clooney during the London Film Festival last October. His partner and partner, Marco Capaldo, will continue with the firm and plans to present a collection in his honor next February.
We would like to thank the author of this write-up for this outstanding content
Federica Cavenati, founder of fashion brand 16 Arlington, dies at 28