Black 16Arlington Dresses: 18 Minis, Midis and Gowns Ranked by Texture and Price

Black is what 16Arlington does most, and Coveti carries black dresses at every length, from the Connie mini to the Dioni gown. A black 16Arlington dress is never plain, though. It carries feathers, sequins, lace, crystal, a corset, a cut-out, and this edit is organised by that: which texture each dress carries, within minis, midis and gowns.

Black minis

1. Connie Mini Dress in Black

Technical satin, form-fitting, with tailored bust cups and an A-line skirt trimmed with lace. The little black dress of the house.

2. Ayre Mini Dress in Crepe

Crepe shift with a boat neck, open back, feather-shaped crystal applique and metal-tipped laces.

3. Addy Mini Dress

Crepe halter with a low back and a feather-trimmed A-line mini skirt.

4. Hodi Mini Dress in Black

The signature georgette mini with feathered wrists and hem.

5. Visea Mini Dress

Strapless, in feathers and textured tinsel cut in a zigzag.

Black midis

6. Ewa Midi Dress

Japanese satin with tailored bust cups, cut away at the hem over a band of tinted sequins.

7. Odette Midi Dress

Crepe with metal-tipped ties at the bust, a straight skirt, a back slit and a scalloped lace hem.

8. Maika Midi Dress

Sleeveless crepe with a high neck, a front twist and a feather-trimmed hem.

9. Adelaide Dress

Off-the-shoulder crepe with ostrich-feather cuffs and a side split.

10. Minelli Midi Dress

Strapless textured sequin, corseted, feather-hemmed.

11. Gioele Midi Dress

Strapless corseted crepe with an A-line skirt and a feathered hem.

12. Della Midi Dress

Crepe encrusted with feather-pattern crystals, voluminous sleeves, a keyhole back and lace-trimmed splits.

13. Inge Midi Dress

Japanese satin with scalloped lace, silver rivets front and back, a tulle lining and an exposed embroidered sequin panel at the hem.

Black gowns

14. Electra Gown in Black

The woven-sequin column.

15. Malena Gown in Black

Bias-cut Japanese matte satin with a plunging lace-trimmed neckline and an open back.

16. Arios Gown

High-necked, long-sleeved crepe with feather-trimmed sleeves, a keyhole back and a slight train.

17. Agata Gown in Black

Chiffon over a structured crepe lining with a hand-embroidered beaded bodice and an A-line skirt.

18. Dioni Gown

Spiky-sequin halter, backless, with a double-layered skirt and a white underlayer at the hem.

How to choose

For a dinner, the Connie; for a party, the Hodi; for a black-tie wedding, the Gioele; for a red carpet, the Malena in satin and the Electra in sequin; for the night of the year, the Dioni. If you will be seated all evening, take the cuff-feather Adelaide over the hem-feather Maika. If you want texture without feathers, the Ewa, Odette and Inge carry lace and sequin instead. The gown guide and the mini guide go deeper into each length.

Black by fabric

Crepe is the house’s black workhorse, matte and lined, on the Ayre, Addy, Maika, Adelaide, Ade, Odessa, Gioele, Della and Arios. Technical satin, on the Connie, has a dry sheen and a little give. Japanese satin, on the Ewa, Inge and Malena, is the glossy one. Georgette and chiffon, on the Hodi and Agata, are sheer. Sequin, on the Electra, Minelli and Dioni, and jersey, on the Solaris, are the heavy ones. Same colour, five different blacks; the matte crepe reads darkest in photographs and the satin lightest.

Wearing black 16Arlington

Texture carries a black look, so the shoe should be patent, the bag satin and the jewellery metal, with nothing matte. Black feathers read as a shadow in low light, so photograph them against a pale wall. Black sequin needs no jewellery at all. Under the sheer georgette and chiffon, a black slip; under the satin and crepe, nothing but a smooth nude base. The styling guide covers the rest.

Key facts

• Black is the largest colour in the range, with black dresses at every length
• Textures: feathers (Hodi, Maika, Adelaide, Addy, Ade, Gioele, Arios), sequin (Electra, Minelli, Dioni), lace (Connie, Odette, Inge), crystal (Ayre, Della), corsetry (Gioele, Minelli)
• Simplest black dress: the Connie mini; most embellished: the Dioni gown
• Made in the United Kingdom apart from the Hodi, Electra, Odette, Della and Minelli, made in Portugal

Read next

The feather dresses. The sequin dresses. The white and ivory dresses. How to style 16Arlington.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best 16Arlington black dress?

The Connie mini for a dinner, the Hodi feather mini for a party, the Electra sequin column for black tie, the Malena satin gown for a red carpet. The Connie is the most wearable.

Which black 16Arlington dress is best for black tie?

The Electra sequin column, the Malena satin gown and, for a black-tie wedding, the corseted Gioele with its feathered hem.

Is the black 16Arlington feather dress see-through?

The Hodi is semi-sheer georgette and is worn over a slip. The crepe feather dresses, the Maika, Adelaide, Addy, Ade and Gioele, are lined and opaque.

Did M&S sell a 16Arlington black dress?

Yes, in the October 2025 capsule, a one-off party-season run. The mainline black dresses at Coveti are the ones above, made in the United Kingdom and Portugal.