If Marie Kondo were to ever apply her now infamous 'spark joy' philosophy to wardrobe-building, rather than home de-cluttering, she might want to meet Attico. Its founders, Milan-based Giorgia Tordini and Gilda Ambrosio, have built their line of loungey robe-like dresses and coats on the idea that a wardrobe should be made of the kinds of pieces that double as treasures — and that a woman can fill her closet in the same way she would painstakingly pick out a sofa for her home. Hence the label's name, which means 'penthouse' in Italian.
'We were inspired by the world of interiors and vintage furniture. A lot of the embroideries and prints are inspired by wallpaper, Asian screen dividers, carpets and lavish fabrics,' says Gilda, a former freelance designer and street style favourite who developed her curatorial eye while growing up around the boutique her family owned in Naples. Her partner Giorgia, an equally popular street style muse who is a former creative consultant and the daughter of a shoe designer, adds, 'It speaks to an attitude, a metaphor describing where, but most importantly how our ideal women live.'
But the home isn't just allegory here, it's the framework for the clothes as well, meaning Attico centers around that most decadent of lounging-at-home wear: the robe. Only in Tordini and Ambrosio's hands, the robe – done as a series of wrap dresses and coats in a range of lush silks, satin chinoiserie, velvet and lurex – is very much meant to be taken out into the world, ideally on your nights out or your weekends off.
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Gilda says it's a much more versatile piece than you would think: 'Wear it as a dress with heels or throw it on and keep it open with a T-shirt and jeans underneath, or wear it as a coat, a shirt or use it to replace your blazer. Let the robe be that 'safe' item you put on to feel sophisticated and different.' Kondo would approve.
Kenya Hunt is the Editor-in-Chief of ELLE UK. Her career spans working for some of the world's most influential women’s titles on both sides of the Atlantic from her post-graduate days as an Assistant Editor at the seminal magazine, Jane, to her time as Deputy Editor of Grazia UK and ELLE UK. As the founder of R.O.O.M. Mentoring, she advocates for greater diversity within the fashion industry by providing a supportive network for some of the many talented aspiring designers, journalists and image makers of colour London has to offer. In 2021, she was recognised by The British Fashion Council for her work and given a Global Leader Of Change Award at its annual Fashion Awards. An American based in London, she lives south of the river with her husband and two sons. Her critically-acclaimed book, Girl: Essays on Black Womanhood (HarperCollins/HQ), is out now.
