A tailored cocktail dress in structured crepe, embroidered all over with a fine geometric sequin lattice, fitted through the bodice and flaring to a full skirt at the waist.
Free express delivery worldwide · import duties included
The Albia is a midi sequin-lattice fit-and-flare cocktail dress from the Livia collection — a dress conceived in Rome for weddings, the opera and occasions that ask for more. The sequin-lattice fit-and-flare cocktail is cut from structured crepe that holds a clean line, fully lined so it reads opaque in daylight and flash alike.
Like every Hugo Caesar Tassi piece, the Albia is finished by hand: a concealed closure, real linings, and seams sewn to last. It is offered in 1 colors from the imperial palette — Basalt — and built to be worn for years, not a single season.
| Silhouette | Round neck with teardrop keyhole, illusion three-quarter sleeves, fitted bodice, flared full skirt |
| Fabric | Structured crepe with allover geometric sequin and glitter embroidery on illusion mesh, fully lined |
| Length | Midi, flared skirt falling to the knee |
| Occasion | Occasion, cocktail and evening receptions, celebrations |
| Care | Dry clean only; store flat to protect the sequin embroidery |
True to size with a structured, fitted bodice; the skirt flares from a defined natural waist for ease of movement.
Model is 177 cm and wears size S. Available S–XXXL.
Closes with a concealed centre-back zip; the sheer illusion sleeves and upper back are lined to the bustline. Hem sits at the knee.
Complimentary express shipping worldwide; dispatched within 1–6 business days, import duties included. Most orders arrive in 3–6 business days.
30-day returns on unworn items with tags attached. Each piece arrives in a porphyry box with the HCT seal.
For occasion, pair the Albia in Basalt with fine-gold jewelry and a barely-there heel. Add the Faustina silk scarf at the neck or wrist to complete the look.
Keep reading & explore the edit
Albia™Basalt · Select size
Hugo Caesar Tassi designed Albia for the Livia collection — a fit-and-flare cocktail dress that holds its shape and catches the light.
The bodice is tailored close through the torso and nips to a defined waist, where the skirt releases into a full, swinging flare. A round neckline lifts to a small teardrop keyhole at the centre front, and illusion sleeves run to three-quarter length, sheer enough to read as bare skin in low light.
Across the whole dress runs a fine geometric lattice of sequins and glitter thread, worked in diamonds and fine lines so the surface shifts from matte to shimmer as she moves. It fastens with a concealed zip down the back, the upper back kept sheer to match the sleeves.
A structured crepe base carries the sequin embroidery, chosen so the skirt flares cleanly and the bodice stays sharp through a long evening.
The crepe gives the bodice its tailored hold and lets the flared skirt keep its volume without stiffness. The sequin lattice is embroidered onto a fine illusion mesh so the sheer panels stay light against the skin while the body of the dress reads richly worked.
It is a dress made for the cocktail hour and the dinner that follows — finished simply with fine gold jewellery and nothing more.
What she said after wearing it
What sold me is how quiet the sparkle is. The lattice catches light in tiny geometric flecks rather than blinding everyone, so it reads grown-up and tailored instead of disco. The Basalt makes it even subtler. A cocktail dress I can wear to anything dressy.
The fit through the torso is properly engineered. It holds you in without a single pull or gape, then releases into that full skirt right at the waist. I felt put together for the whole evening.
Black-tie-adjacent charity dinner, freezing outside, warm ballroom inside, and this was perfect. The structured crepe gives it body so the skirt keeps its shape on the dance floor, and the lattice glints under chandeliers without screaming for attention.
In photos online it looked plain black, but in daylight Basalt has this soft graphite depth to it. Far more interesting than ordinary black, and the sequins read as texture more than shine.
I spin and the skirt actually moves. The flare from the waist is generous without being costumey, and because the crepe has structure it falls back into place neatly. Genuinely flattering on a fuller hip.
Turned it inside out the moment it arrived, as I always do. The seams are clean, the embroidery is anchored properly so no loose sequins, and the lining sits smooth against the skin. Nothing scratchy where the lattice meets the body.
Truly a beautiful dress, the lattice is exquisite and the Basalt is rich and flattering. The only thing, and it's entirely about my own short frame, is that I'd have loved the skirt a fraction shorter so the flare sat a touch higher on my leg. On a taller woman it would be flawless. I adore it regardless and the bodice fits me like it was made to measure.
I wanted something that felt celebratory but still like me, not a teenager's party frock. This threaded that needle exactly. The fitted-then-flared shape is timelessly elegant and the muted sequins keep it sophisticated. I felt wonderful all night and the photographs from dinner are some of my favourites of myself in years.
This is on me entirely, not the dress, which is beautifully made and fits like a glove. I'd convinced myself I wanted a deep charcoal, but once I had the Basalt out in natural light I realised I'm drawn to warmer tones and it isn't quite what suits my colouring. The lattice and the cut are everything promised, I simply chose the wrong colour for myself.
Thank you for such an honest and generous note. Choosing a colour from a screen is never easy, and we're sorry the Basalt didn't sing the way you'd hoped once you saw it in daylight. The Albia's tailoring clearly delighted you, and we'd love to help you find a tone that feels properly yours, so do write to us at contact@hctbeauty.com and we'll talk you through your options personally. With warmth from all of us at the atelier.
Most cocktail dresses this price go limp. This one has a real hand to it. The crepe is dense enough to hold the silhouette but still soft, and the sequin work adds a faint weight that makes it hang properly.
The dress itself is lovely, no complaint there at all, the sequin lattice and the structured flare are exactly the quality I hoped for. My frustration was purely with timing. A bank holiday weekend where I live froze the final delivery stage and the parcel sat undelivered for several extra days while I watched the tracking not move. It did arrive in perfect condition, just later than I'd have liked.
We completely understand the frustration of watching tracking stall, especially when a local holiday pauses things entirely outside everyone's control, and we're genuinely sorry for the anxious wait. We're glad the Albia reached you flawlessly and lived up to expectations. We're always reviewing carrier timing around regional closures so the final stretch runs smoother, and if you ever want delivery guidance ahead of a key date, contact@hctbeauty.com is there for you. Thank you for your patience and for choosing us.
I have to be fair and say the dress is genuinely beautiful, the craftsmanship is there and the Basalt is rich and elegant. The problem was all mine. I ordered my usual size out of habit and should have gone up one, because the fitted bodice runs close and I needed a little more room through the flare. That's a guess I got wrong, nothing to do with how it's made.
Thank you for being so fair, and please don't be hard on yourself, a closely tailored bodice like the Albia's can absolutely catch any of us out. We'd be glad to sort a size exchange so you end up with the fit you deserve, and our size guide and a quick measurement chat are always available at contact@hctbeauty.com before you reorder. The piece clearly charmed you, and we'd love to see you in the right one. Warm regards from the atelier.
Every shot the lattice picks up a different glimmer depending on the angle. Indoors, outdoors, candlelight, flash. It never looks flat or cheap in pictures, which is rare for anything with sequins.
I braced for a stiff, itchy sequin number and instead sat through a three-course dinner, danced, and never once tugged at it. The waist seam hits in the right place and nothing dug in. Comfort and glamour rarely coexist like this.
I have designer pieces that cost triple and aren't cut this well. The lattice embroidery alone is hours of work, and the bodice is tailored like couture. At this price it feels almost like a mistake in my favour.
The fit-and-flare construction does all the work. Nipped at the waist, full through the skirt, and suddenly I have a figure I didn't walk in with. Forgiving over the tummy too, thanks to where the flare begins.
Wore it to my niece's engagement do and felt elegant from the second I zipped it. The structured skirt held its shape standing for hours, and the subtle shimmer suited the candlelit room without overpowering the bride.
People forget to mention what's underneath. The inner layer is smooth and substantial so the dress glides on and the sequin embroidery never touches your skin directly. Thoughtful construction you only notice once you're wearing it.
Ordered this for my mother, who is impossibly hard to buy for and suspicious of anything sparkly. The understated lattice and that deep Basalt won her over instantly. She's already planned three occasions to wear it to.
The length is judged exactly right for cocktail. Lands just at the knee on me, so it's elegant rather than club-wear, and the full skirt gives lovely movement without ever feeling too short when I sit.
I'd had my eye on it for weeks after a good experience with the atelier earlier in the year, and it more than lived up to the previous piece. The same attention to cut and finish, the same quiet glamour.
The back closure runs clean and flat, no gaping at the top, no catching of the embroidery. Once it's done up the bodice feels secure and structured, like the dress is gently holding its shape around me.
It's the kind of dress that makes you look like you tried without looking like you tried too hard. The geometric sequin pattern is so fine and even that from across a room it reads as a beautiful textured charcoal, with the shimmer only revealing itself up close.
Took it abroad for a December concert and a dinner. Folded into my case with care and it shrugged off the journey, the structured crepe resisting creases far better than I expected from anything embellished. A quick steam and it was ready.
Answered by the Hugo Caesar Tassi atelier
It's fully lined and completely opaque — no slip required. Only the lightest details are very slightly sheer, by design.
True to size through the waist and skirt. The bodice is tailored, so size up if you're fuller in the bust. See the size guide for exact measurements.
Very much so — it was designed for weddings, the opera and occasions that ask for more. Basalt and the deeper tones read beautifully after dark; the lighter colors suit daytime.
Pieces that share the Basalt palette and the house line
