Taller Marmo has become the go-to brand for glamorous kaftan-inspired designs over the past few years. Its instantly recognisable creations combine modesty with comfort and glamour, “quality-driven pieces for modern women who want to feel fabulous without trying too hard,” explain the brand’s founders Riccardo Audisio and Yago Goicoechea. “We felt that our challenge was making that glamorous and over-the-top look that we were always very attracted to, fresh and relevant.”
The Italian and Argentinian duo met at university in Italy before deciding to move to Dubai to start their own fashion label in 2013. The brand has since become internationally celebrated, and despite the headquarters moving to Italy, Audisio and Goicoechea still believe that they owe much to Dubai in helping them succeed. “We feel at home when we are in Dubai. Not only because it was where we started the brand and lived for half a decade in our early twenties, but also, we made great long-standing friendships with people who helped us so much in our early beginnings,” the duo tell Luxury.
Despite moving back to Italy to take their brand to the next level, the designers continue to be inspired by women in the Middle East. It is clear from the silhouette of their designs that the DNA of the brand is deeply rooted in the region. They have become known for their modest kaftan-inspired styles, often presented in bold, eye-catching hues.
“The symbol of our brand is the kaftan. We think the kaftan is a statement. A sign of relaxedness, self- care and well-being. When you think of an occasion when you would wear a kaftan, you think of yourself having fun at a party or on holiday, perhaps visiting a beautiful city during the summer,” they say. “Middle Eastern women are a constant source of inspiration for us. Since our beginnings, we always felt there was a natural connection between our muses who love kaftans and fabulous dresses and the Middle Eastern women’s aesthetic.”
Despite its humble start, today the brand’s designs have become popular among international celebrities, with stars such as Sonam Kapoor, Kylie Minogue, Vanessa Hudgens and Lily Allen all spotted wearing pieces by the label. French model Farida Khelfa recently became the face and muse of the summer collection.
Having a successful woman at the heart of their designs is not a new formula for Taller Marmo. Audisio and Goicoechea often look to strong female figures for inspiration. “Women like Peggy Guggenheim, Marchesa Casati, Isabella Blow, Dalida, Josephine Baker, Diana Ross, Raffaella Carrà. All of them have something in common for us, and they were starting points of entire collections because of their uniqueness and [their] bodies of work really shaped the world around them,” they say.
This month, Taller Marmo will launch the resort 2024 collection. In keeping with their key shapes and styles, this offering feels like a more grown-up take on the kaftan, with deep, rich tones and a 1970s influence. “The collection wants to capture the spirit of women who dare to venture out into the night, whether in bustling metropolises or exotic destinations, making a seamless fusion of resortwear and city life,” the designers explain.
It features a fluid silhouette that’s modern yet modest. “Key fabrics in the collection include sumptuous velvet, metallic fringed fil coupé, delicate crepe chiffon, and rustic raffia, while the highlights are a lamé-organza and a bold Animalier motif jacquard, featured prominently in asymmetrical dresses and lavish kaftans. The colour palette is an ode to skyscrapers and 1970s Italian industrial design, weaving together a blend of natural hues such as suede, decadent chocolate and smoky fume. These are juxtaposed with the cold, captivating tones of steel, gleaming silver, and luxurious platinum,” they add.
The resort collection is the latest chapter in Audisio and Goicoechea’s plans for further global expansion, and there is still much more to be done.
“We are exploring ways of expanding the Taller Marmo universe and giving the Taller Marmo woman the total look, but there is nothing to reveal yet. Hopefully, by the end of the year.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
AIR
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059