Who Is Avaro Figlio? The Milan Maison Behind the Crystal Gowns

If you have come across a crystal gown with an unusually clean line and wondered who made it, there is a fair chance the answer is Avaro Figlio. The Milan house has built a quiet following in couture eveningwear, and it now sits on Coveti alongside the red-carpet names it is most often compared to. Here is the story behind the label, and what to know before you buy.

Who is Avaro Figlio?

Avaro Figlio is an Italian eveningwear house based in Milan, founded in 2009 by Dario Biglino and Sulabh Kalra, who still run it as co-creative directors. Biglino came to fashion from film and television, and that background shows in the way the collections play with light and movement. Kalra worked as an international model before turning to design, and brings a close read on how a gown actually sits on a body. Together they have kept the house small and specific rather than chasing scale.

The name is worth a moment. In Italian, Avaro Figlio reads as the greedy son, a nod to the theme of temptation the designers return to season after season. You see it in the sequins, the sheer panels, and the bustier bodices that anchor much of the collection.

What is Avaro Figlio known for?

Two things, mainly. The first is crystal and sequin work: floor-sweeping gowns, mermaid silhouettes, and column dresses cut for black-tie and the red carpet. The second is the way the house makes them. Avaro Figlio works made to order from its Milan atelier, cutting each piece to the client’s measurements rather than producing to a warehouse. It is a slow-fashion approach that reduces waste and gives the fit a couture closeness most off-the-rack eveningwear cannot match.

The collection is not only gowns. There is tailored suiting, a run of bardot and corseted dresses, and a few kaftans cut for warm-weather galas. The through-line is eveningwear with structure, built for a specific night out.

Is Avaro Figlio a luxury brand?

Yes, in the couture-eveningwear sense. The pieces are made to order in Italy, hand-finished, and priced accordingly. At Coveti, Avaro Figlio runs from around 790 dollars for a simpler style to just over 5,000 dollars for a fully worked gown. That places it below the historic couture houses on price, and in the same conversation as Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, and Tony Ward on register. For more on how it compares, read our guide to brands like Avaro Figlio.

How to buy Avaro Figlio

Coveti carries the current Avaro Figlio collection with worldwide shipping and verified authenticity. The house cuts true to size on a UK ladder, so order your usual UK size. Once you have found your piece, our guide to how to wear Avaro Figlio covers styling for weddings, galas, and the red carpet, and the current-season edit pulls together the gowns worth seeing first. You can shop the full range on the Avaro Figlio brand page and across our designer dresses.