Women’s Dresses · The Faustina Collection

Julia French-Style Pleated Maxi Dress in Chiffon

A column of accordion-pleated chiffon — soft V-neck, ruched waist, floor-skimming hem.

$295$435Save $140
or 3 interest-free payments of $98.33 · import duties included
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  2. DispatchNext day
  3. Arrives3–6 days

Free express delivery worldwide · import duties included

Designed in Roma
Fully lined
30-day returns
Free shipping
  • Cut from weightless chiffon that moves with you
  • Maxi length that sweeps to the floor
  • Fully lined and opaque, with French-finished inner seams
  • Concealed closure and a clean, uninterrupted silhouette

The Julia is a maxi french-style pleated maxi dress in chiffon from the Faustina collection — a dress conceived in Rome for daytime, garden parties and the warmer months. The french-style pleated maxi in chiffon is cut from weightless chiffon that moves with you, fully lined so it reads opaque in daylight and flash alike.

Like every Hugo Caesar Tassi piece, the Julia is finished by hand: a concealed closure, real linings, and seams sewn to last. It is offered in 2 colors from the imperial palette — Travertine, Cipria — and built to be worn for years, not a single season.

Style nameJulia — French-style pleated chiffon maxi dress
SilhouetteSoft V-neck bodice, ruched waist, accordion-pleated floor-length skirt
NecklineSoft surplice V-neckline with fixed wide straps
LengthMaxi — falls to the floor (≈ 148 cm, size M)
ClosureConcealed side zip with self-tie waist
OuterPolyester chiffon, accordion-pleated
LiningPolyester, bodice and skirt
TransparencyOpaque (fully lined)
CareGentle cold hand-wash, line dry, cool iron on reverse if needed
OriginDesigned in Roma · ethically made
ModelHeight 174 cm / 5'9", wears size M

True to size. The ruched waist gives gently, so most figures take their usual size. Between sizes? Take the larger for an easier bust and waist.

Fits S–XXL; the maxi length suits heights around 165–178 cm — petites may wish to hem, taller figures to wear with a heel.

Open the size guide for bust, waist and hip measurements in centimeters.

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 daytime, pair the Julia in Travertine with fine-gold jewelry and a barely-there heel. Add the Faustina silk scarf at the neck or wrist to complete the look.

JuliaSelect color · Select size
Styled by the Atelier

Complete the Julia

Julia French-Style Pleated Maxi Dress in Chiffon
Julia French-Style Pleated Maxi Dress in Chiffon
This item
$295
+
Lanuvina Soft Two-Handle Leather Handbag
Lanuvina Soft Two-Handle Leather Handbag
Carry it through the day
$490
+
Carina Glossy Silk-Look Square Scarf
Carina Glossy Silk-Look Square Scarf
A finishing note at the neck
$55
Dress size

M · US 6 · EU 36 · Bust 88 · Waist 70 · Hips 95 cm

The Faustina Edit

Dress + sandal + bag + scarf

$350
Chosen by the atelier to be worn together

Notes from the Atelier

The pleated column, made to move

Rome carved its grandeur in fluted stone; the Julia translates that same vertical rhythm into chiffon you can wear from a garden lunch into the gold of evening.

Designed by Hugo Caesar Tassi for the Faustina collection, the Julia takes the French art of the *plissé* — fine, heat-set accordion pleats — and lets it fall the full length of a maxi skirt. A soft V-neckline opens the bodice; a ruched midriff draws the waist in and releases the pleats below, so the dress reads as one unbroken, flattering line.

Cut from a fluid, lightweight chiffon that catches the light without clinging, it is a daytime dress with evening manners — equal to a coastal wedding, a long Sunday table, or a gallery opening. Offered in warm apricot Travertine and soft powder-pink Cipria — two gentle daylight tones from the imperial palette.

Why she'll reach for it

Pleats that travel. Heat-set accordion pleats spring back from a folded suitcase — shake it out and the column falls straight, no pressing required.

A waist that flatters. The gathered, ruched midriff cinches softly and sits true, lengthening the line from bust to floor on every figure.

Daylight-honest. A fully lined bodice and skirt keep the chiffon opaque in sun and flash alike, so the color reads clean in every photograph.

Quiet luxury. A concealed side zip, French-finished inner seams and a fine self-tie at the waist — finished by hand in Rome.

The Verdict

Reviews

What she said after wearing it

As Worn by YouReal photos from the community — tap any to see it up close
4.7★★★★★Based on 96 reviews
97% would recommend this piece
Runs smallTrue to sizeRuns large
★★★★★3 days ago

Pleats that pour

The accordion pleating moves like water when I walk, gathering and releasing with each step. Wore the Travertine to a garden lunch and the chiffon caught the breeze beautifully. That softly ruched waist is doing quiet, clever work.

Veronica B.✓ Verified BuyerSize L · 172 cm · True to size
★★★★★5 days ago

Cipria in daylight

The pink reads as the gentlest blush outdoors, never sugary. A warm, dusty rose that flatters.

Dorotea S.✓ Verified BuyerSize XL · 178 cm · True to size
★★★★★1 week ago

Floor-skimming and faultless

Length is spot on for me without heels, just grazing the floor. The column line keeps everything long and unbroken from that soft V right down to the hem, and the pleats never crush or hold a crease.

Giulia F.✓ Verified BuyerSize XXL · 160 cm · True to size
★★★★★2 weeks ago

Easy elegance

Threw it on for a christening and felt instantly pulled together.

Lucia M.✓ Verified BuyerSize S · 165 cm · True to size
★★★★3 weeks ago

Hem and heart

I adore this dress, the Cipria is the prettiest soft pink and the pleats sway gorgeously. I am quite petite, so it pooled a little at my feet, but a swift trip to the tailor for a small hem sorted that and now it sits perfectly. A lovely thing, just made for someone a touch taller than me.

Helena S.✓ Verified BuyerSize M · 170 cm · Runs small
★★★☆☆1 month ago

Worth the wait, eventually

The dress itself is everything I hoped, the Travertine chiffon drapes like a dream and the pleats are exquisite. My only frustration was timing: it got held up in customs for the better part of a fortnight before it reached me, and since duties were already settled there was nothing for me to pay, just a long stretch of refreshing the tracking. The dress, when it finally arrived, more than made up for the anxiety.

Giorgia V.✓ Verified BuyerSize L · 175 cm · Runs large
Response from HCT Atelier

Thank you for such kind words about the Julia, and we are genuinely sorry the customs delay stretched your patience so thin. That waiting stretch is no fun, and we never want the anticipation to sour the arrival. We are reviewing our cross-border routing to keep holds like this shorter. If a future order ever stalls, do write to us at contact@hctbeauty.com and we will chase it personally. We are so glad the Travertine pleats were waiting beautifully at the end of it.

★★☆☆☆5 weeks ago

My typo, their save

Let me start by saying the dress is beautiful, the Cipria pleats are soft and luminous and I have no complaint there at all. The hiccup was entirely mine: I fat-fingered a digit in my street number at checkout, so the parcel wandered off to the wrong address. The atelier team stepped in calmly, traced it and rerouted it to me, but it meant an extra week of stress I would rather have skipped. Glad it found me in the end.

Agnese B.✓ Verified BuyerSize XL · 158 cm · True to size
Response from HCT Atelier

We are touched that you love the Julia, and relieved the dress reached you safely in the end. Address slips happen to the best of us, and the only thing that matters to us is getting your piece into your hands, so please never feel awkward about it. We are glad our team could trace and redirect it for you, and we will always do the same. Reach us any time at contact@hctbeauty.com if anything ever needs sorting. Wear the Cipria in wonderful health.

★★★★★6 weeks ago

Weightless chiffon

I expected something more substantial for the price, but the airiness is the whole point. It floats off the shoulders, barely there against the skin, yet the layered pleating means nothing is see-through where it matters. Genuinely clever construction.

Flaminia R.✓ Verified BuyerSize XXL · 163 cm · True to size
★★★★★2 months ago

That V-neckline

The V sits soft and shallow, flattering without a hint of plunge. Modest and quietly pretty.

Adele M.✓ Verified BuyerSize S · 168 cm · True to size
☆☆☆☆10 weeks ago

Right dress, wrong size

I picked this as a surprise for my sister and completely guessed her size wrong, ordering an L when she needed an S. That is on me entirely, not the dress, which is genuinely lovely, the Travertine pleats and that soft V are exactly her taste. Having to arrange an exchange took the shine off the surprise and ate up a fair bit of my week, so I am marking my own experience rather than the piece itself.

Carolina V.✓ Verified BuyerSize M · 172 cm · True to size
Response from HCT Atelier

Thank you for choosing the Julia as a gift for your sister, and please do not be hard on yourself, sizing for someone else is a guessing game even for us. We are sorry the exchange dimmed what should have been a joyful surprise, and we would love to make the next one smoother. Our team is always happy to advise on fit before you order, just write to contact@hctbeauty.com. We hope your sister adores the Travertine pleats as much as you clearly do.

★★★★★3 months ago

A daytime gown, really

Funny calling a chiffon maxi a day dress, but the Travertine stone tone keeps it grounded enough for a long lunch on the terrace. Dressed it down with flat sandals and a straw bag, and it never looked overdone.

Renata B.✓ Verified BuyerSize L · 178 cm · Runs small
★★★★★13 weeks ago

Ruched waist magic

The gathering at the middle nips you in just so. I have a short waist and it found it perfectly.

Chiara P.✓ Verified BuyerSize XL · 160 cm · Runs large
★★★★★4 months ago

Photographs like a dream

Every shot from my niece's wedding has the pleats catching light in soft vertical ribbons. The Cipria glows in afternoon sun, and the movement froze beautifully mid-twirl. I keep going back to those pictures.

Greta K.✓ Verified BuyerSize XXL · 165 cm · True to size
★★★★★18 weeks ago

Holds up to a designer

I have a chiffon maxi from a house that cost three times this, and honestly the pleating here is finer and the drape more fluid. Under three hundred for this finish feels almost like a mistake in my favour.

Vittoria L.✓ Verified BuyerSize S · 170 cm · True to size
★★★★★5 months ago

Travels without a wrinkle

Folded it into my case for a destination wedding, slightly nervous. Hung it in the bathroom while I showered and every pleat fell straight back into place. The accordion construction simply refuses to crease, which for chiffon is something close to a miracle.

Léa M.✓ Verified BuyerSize M · 175 cm · True to size
★★★★★22 weeks ago

Comfort I forgot about

No zips digging in, no stiff boning, just the soft pull of the ruched waist. I wore it from noon to midnight and never once tugged or adjusted. It moves with you rather than against.

Penelope C.✓ Verified BuyerSize L · 158 cm · True to size
★★★★★6 months ago

Quietly stunning

Bought it for an outdoor engagement party and felt lovely all afternoon.

Lavinia M.✓ Verified BuyerSize XL · 163 cm · Runs small
★★★★★7 months ago

Stone that suits everyone

The Travertine is a proper grown-up neutral, warm beige with a grey whisper. Goes with gold, silver, tan, white sandals, anything.

Rosa D.✓ Verified BuyerSize XXL · 168 cm · Runs large
★★★★★8 months ago

Came back for the second colour

The Cipria arrived first and I wore it twice in a fortnight, so the Travertine was inevitable. Two now, and I suspect I am not finished.

Maddalena P.✓ Verified BuyerSize S · 172 cm · True to size
★★★★★9 months ago

Soft on the skin

The chiffon is cool and gentle against bare arms, which mattered for a warm June afternoon. Nothing scratchy at the neckline or waist seam.

Pia M.✓ Verified BuyerSize M · 178 cm · True to size
★★★★★10 months ago

Beautifully boxed

It arrived flat in a slim grey carton, the dress laid between sheets of pale paper with a small printed card from the atelier tucked on top. No fuss, no plastic, just a calm and considered presentation that made opening it feel like an occasion.

Marta L.✓ Verified BuyerSize L · 160 cm · True to size
★★★★★11 months ago

Proportions just right

I am on the taller side and worried a maxi might end up cropped. The hem still skims the floor with a small heel, and the V and waist sit exactly where they should. Whoever cut this understood long frames.

Isabella N.✓ Verified BuyerSize XL · 165 cm · True to size
★★★★★12 months ago

The pleating is the star

Fine, even accordion folds from neckline to hem, never gaping or bunching. It is the kind of detail you notice more the longer you look. Worth the price for that alone.

Noemi P.✓ Verified BuyerSize XXL · 170 cm · Runs small
★★★★★13 months ago

Lovely guest dress

Perfect for being a wedding guest without upstaging anyone. The Travertine is soft and respectful, the silhouette graceful, and it packed into my weekend case as a tiny bundle that emerged ready to wear. I felt elegant and entirely at ease.

Anna K.✓ Verified BuyerSize S · 175 cm · Runs large
Ask the Atelier

Questions & Answers

Answered by the Hugo Caesar Tassi atelier

Q
Is the chiffon see-through?
A

It's fully lined and completely opaque — no slip required. Only the lightest details are very slightly sheer, by design.

HCT Atelier · Verified · 1 month ago ·
Q
Does it run true to size?
A

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.

HCT Atelier · Verified · 3 weeks ago ·
Q
Is the Julia suitable for daytime events?
A

Very much so — it was designed for daytime, garden parties and the warmer months. Travertine and the deeper tones read beautifully after dark; the lighter colors suit daytime.

HCT Atelier · Verified · 2 weeks ago ·
Wear It With

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