The Attico

It depends on what you want from a wardrobe. The Attico sits in the glamorous, going-out corner of contemporary luxury, and its appeal is statement pieces that turn heads rather than quiet basics. If you love feminine, party-ready dressing and want a label with a strong point of view, the pieces earn their place. For purely practical everyday clothing, the brand's boudoir-glam DNA may be more than you need.

It is known for slinky, going-out glamour. The label initially launched around luxury dressing gowns and going-out attire, and that boudoir-inspired mood still runs through its slip dresses and statement shoes. The aesthetic is feminine, confident and built to be seen at night. That clear identity is a big part of why it broke through so fast.

Start with the thing the house is most identified with: its going-out attire. The Attico built its name on luxury dressing-gown-inspired pieces and slip dresses, so a signature dress is the most representative way in. It captures the penthouse-glamour spirit the brand is loved for rather than a peripheral category.

Attico is the Italian word for 'penthouse,' which sets the tone for the whole label. It signals the chic, elevated, after-dark glamour the Milanese brand trades in. Once you know the translation, the boudoir-meets-penthouse aesthetic makes a lot of sense.

The Attico was founded in 2016 by two fashion designers and creative directors, Gilda Ambrosio and Giorgia Tordini. They built it around luxury dressing gowns and going-out attire, and their personal It-girl style became inseparable from the brand. The label is very much an extension of their own taste.

It is a Milan-based Italian label, founded in 2016. In 2019 Giorgia Tordini moved back to Milan to officially launch The Attico with Gilda Ambrosio during Milan Fashion Week, and the brand staged its first runway show during Milan Fashion Week in September 2023. Its Milanese roots are central to its glamorous identity.

Yes, quite quickly. In 2017 the founders won 'Launch of the Year' at the 31st annual Footwear News Achievement Awards and were named to The BOF 500, an index of people shaping the fashion industry. In 2019 they were honoured with the 'Young Business Award' by Italy's Altagamma Foundation. For a label only founded in 2016, that is a fast climb.

The brand draws a high-wattage crowd. It has been worn by Dua Lipa, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber, among others. That celebrity following fits its red-carpet-ready, going-out aesthetic and helps explain how quickly it became a recognised name.

It has outside backing. In 2018, Archive, an investment firm controlled by Remo Ruffini's family holding (ou(R) group), acquired 49% of the brand. That investment led to a shift in brand strategy and an overall company restructuring. So it is a designer-led label with serious financial backing behind it.

The label has partnered with a notably eclectic group, including Nike Air Jordan, Sant Ambroeus, Eres, Linda Farrow and Re/Done. It has also staged pop-ups and installations at luxury retailers such as Harrods, Selfridges, Bergdorf and La Rinascente. Those collaborations show how the brand stretches its glamour across categories beyond ready-to-wear.

It is distributed worldwide through over 200 top retailers, boutiques and concept stores, alongside its official website. The brand has also run pop-ups at heavyweight retailers like Harrods, Selfridges and Bergdorf, and launched its first New York pop-up retail concept during New York Fashion Week in September 2022. For the full current range, the official site and major luxury stockists are your best bet.