Ennio and Carlo Capasa are farewelling Costume National, the Italian label they founded in 1986. This year marks its 30th birthday, creating a neat point for the brothers to pass the company on. The Japanese-Chinese investment bank Sequedge now own the brand—the two businesses began their relationship in 2009, when Sequedge acquired a 17 percent stake in Costume National.
With Ennio serving as creative director and Carlo as chief executive, the label became know for impeccable tailoring and lush fragrances. 2015 was a particularly strong year for Costume National, as the label made waves by staging a collaborative performance with Marina Abramović, a close friend of Ennio. At the same time, alongside Tom Ford and Jeremy Scott, they were a key part of the invigorating push to establish L.A as a fashion counterpoint to New York.
The future of the label uncertain, with no successors announced, though Ennio and Carlo’s looks bright. “We will continue following our passion through new creative initiatives,” Carlo told WWD. i-D eagerly awaits the pair’s next move.