Rixo Has Collaborated With This LA-Based Label To Create The Best Summer Dresses Of The Season

Even the staunchest of jeans wearers will find it difficult to resist the latest fashion collaboration to launch, which marries two brands renowned for their nostalgic, vintage-inspired designs: the UK's own Rixo and LA-based brand Ciao Lucia. It's the most recent collab during a season which has already brought us Mango x Victoria Beckham, Gap x Dôen, Jigsaw x Roksanda and Rokh H&M, proving that great sartorial partnerships are a real tour de force for fashion right now. If you're looking for the perfect summer dress to fit every and any dress code however, Rixo x Ciao Lucia is exactly what you've been waiting for.

A collaboration in the truest sense of the word, this 12-piece collection includes mini and midi-length dresses in silk, cotton and viscose, boasting vintage prints and sweet design details. 'It’s such a small world, Lucy used to buy Rixo in her previous role, which is how we first met,' says Henrietta Rix, co-founder and CEO of Rixo. 'We literally spoke over IG DM one evening and reminisced on the past few years and then quickly moved to a conversation about a collaboration. We’re very similar in the way we work and could both move quickly with no big corporate sign offs, which has resulted in a collection that captures the essence of both brands perfectly.'

Luckily, the spirit of both brands is very similar, so all that was needed was each other's design touches. Orla McCloskey, co-founder and design director of Rixo, for example, hand painted the cherub print seen in the collection, which was inspired by a vintage vase she found at an antiques fair. 'From the outset, there was an amazing synergy between our two brands where our aesthetic complimented one another, says McCloskey. 'Working closely with Lucy, the founder of Ciao Lucia, was seamless; her passion for design, vintage and attention to fits and fabric mirrored our own ethos. The creative process allowed us to really ensure each piece felt like a mix of both our brands. We worked through each silhouette together and I hand painted the cherub print featured in the collection, a true RIXO signature print that compliments Ciao's beautiful check print.'

Designed to suit both everyday and occasion dressing, it's true that this capsule consists of really versatile styles. Checked midis would look as good at a barbecue as they would a friend's wedding – something which could be said of most dresses in the collection. From white cotton sun dresses to beautiful, silk printed gowns you'll want to wear every summer evening, you'll be hard-pressed to find better summer dresses this season.

'I think we’re such similar brands but geographically have a different customer,' says Lucy Atkin, founder and designer of Ciao Lucia. 'It made sense to team up and create something cool together. I used to buy Rixo for my store, so I was familiar with [Henrietta and Orlagh] so it was nice to work with them again in a more collaborative way. I was also so flattered when they reached out with the idea to collaborate.'

Available now, you'll keep these dresses in your wardrobe for many summers to come. Think of them as a truly sound investment.

Shop: Rixo x Ciao Lucia