What is it about a wedding can make a normally modern, self-assured woman suddenly find an inexplicable urge to go full frou-frou? ‘It’s a bit of a stuffy, stereotypical market and bridal is very much directed at one woman and the picture-perfect postcard that you’re presented as a child of what a bride should be,’ says Marco Capaldo, one half of London-based brand 16Arlington. ‘We wanted to break down all those stereotypes and present bridal as a real luxury fashion offering. We’re about embracing all women’.
Launching today, 16Arlington’s debut bridal collection - available on the brand's own site and as part of Matchesfashion.com's excellent bridal edit - is based on the ethos that your special day should be memorable for all the right reasons. That means glamour, sure, but is also means putting an emphasis on comfort and fun. ‘The brand ethos is all about good times,’ explains co-founder Kikka Cavenati, (unsurprisingly the brand’s designs are already a party season hit. High profile fans include Miley Cyrus and Lena Dunham). From personal experience, it’s impossible to have a boring night in their clothes.
The idea was born after the pair (also a real life couple, which only adds to the romance) saw sales of their white pieces soaring during lockdown, which they then witnessed brides tagging on Instagram. Still, white is the 20-piece capsule’s only concession to tradition, and even then, Capaldo is not worried about stains. ‘Every stain is a story,’ he laughs. ‘We wouldn’t want you not to spill something on it. If you haven’t spilled something it means you’re not having enough fun!’
Taking inspiration from brides who ‘broke down the sterotypes’ of what a wedding dress should look like (think Yoko Ono, Bianca Jagger, even Cilla Black), highlights include swishy marabou-trimmed mini dresses, sumptuous satin pyjamas and slinky, ’90s inspired slips. There might be a four-metre, floor-trailing veil (rendered suitably extra courtesy of the feathers), but there’s also a thong. ‘We wanted to keep it quite cheeky!’ says Cavenati.
Further propelling the modern ethos behind the collection, Capaldo and Cavenati are also adamant that these pieces shouldn’t be for one-wear-only, which chimes with the more sustainable mood sweeping the bridal market right now. ‘There’s room for the pieces to live on,’ says Capaldo. Plus, there’s good news for those of us not walking down the aisle any time soon, ‘We don’t want only brides to shop this’.
And as for best dressed guest etiquette? When their friends get hitched, Capaldo teases Cavenati for putting Met Gala-grade planning into her looks. Any advice on that front, then? ‘Only one,’ she smiles. ‘Don’t upstage the bride!’ If she’s wearing 16 Arlington, that shouldn’t be a problem.
SHOP: 16 Arlington's Bridalwear Collection
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