Marco Capaldo used to start his mornings with multiple coffees, a ritual that has become a source of inspiration for his latest collection for 16Arlington. This collection, his third since the passing of his creative and romantic partner Kikka Cavenati, is titled “Wake“. The word represents the mourning process after a funeral, as well as the energy that has kept his fashion line, 16Arlington, thriving despite difficult times. The collection reflects the idea of “waking up in a new world” and adapting to new circumstances.
The show was staged in the same bright and airy skylit drill hall in Bloomsbury, but this time the atmosphere was more ominous. The room was filled with the smell of coffee grounds, which covered the entire floor. The show began with the models walking through a dark room, with a videographer in the center capturing their movements, and a milky spotlight tracing their path. The designer’s use of sequins and beading added a seductive twinkle to the dark and eerie setting.
Capaldo’s collection was inspired by food, specifically coffee and eggs. The designer’s use of browns in his outfits and bags is a nod to the color of coffee, while the embroidered eggs on sheer lace and cocoon-like shapes of leather jackets represent fertility and regeneration. The designer was also interested in witchcraft as a reflection of women’s power and the ways in which women have been mistreated throughout history.
The Fall/Winter 2023 collection also included menswear pieces, a long-standing ambition of Capaldo and Cavenati’s, as well as the brand’s popular Kikka bag in supersize proportions, and a new pouch bag with mourning veil lace. 16Arlington’s party dresses, a red carpet favorite, were also part of the collection, with new silhouettes and embellishments that added movement to the pieces.
The success of Capaldo’s tailoring, outerwear, and accessories in addition to his gowns shows the strides he has taken as a designer. Despite the dark mood of the collection, it serves as proof that 16Arlington is not just a brand for night owls, but a brand that has emerged from the darkness and into the light. Capaldo’s coffee ritual may be working after all, as it continues to inspire and drive his creativity.
