A floor-length velvet evening gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline, a softly folded surplice band crossing the bust, long fitted sleeves and a slim mermaid skirt.
Free express delivery worldwide · import duties included
The Rufina is a maxi off-shoulder long-sleeve velvet evening gown from the Faustina collection — a dress conceived in Rome for evening, dinners and the after-dark hours. The off-shoulder long-sleeve velvet evening 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 Rufina 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 | Off-the-shoulder neckline, folded surplice crossover band, fitted long-sleeve bodice, slim mermaid skirt with flared hem |
| Fabric | Plush stretch velvet (polyester), soft pile with a low directional sheen |
| Length | Floor-length, slim mermaid silhouette |
| Occasion | Occasion and evening — galas, receptions, celebrations after dark |
| Care | Dry clean, or cold gentle hand wash and line dry in shade; cool iron on reverse |
Fitted through the bodice and hip with a slim mermaid line; the stretch velvet skims the figure, while the flared hem gives room to walk.
Model is 177 cm and wears size S. Available S–XXL.
The off-shoulder band sits softly off the shoulders with long sleeves; a concealed back zip fastens the bodice. The skirt falls to the floor with a gentle fishtail.
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 evening, pair the Rufina 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
Rufina™Basalt · Select size
Hugo Caesar Tassi designed Rufina for the Livia collection — an off-shoulder velvet gown with the quiet drama of a Roman evening.
A softly folded band rests just off the shoulders and crosses the bust in a surplice V, while long fitted sleeves keep the line clean and covered. The bodice draws into a defined waist before the skirt releases into a slim mermaid that flares at the hem.
We cut it in deep Basalt black — the house's most evening of darks — so the velvet does the talking. It asks for nothing more than fine gold jewellery and a heel.
A plush stretch velvet chosen for its weight and the way it holds a fitted line, with a low sheen that reads rich rather than shiny in golden light.
The pile catches the late light along every fold, shifting the black between matte shadow and soft glow. The bodice is structured for support and the surplice band is hand-folded, while a discreet back zip keeps the silhouette uninterrupted.
It is made to be worn from a long dinner into the gold of the evening — a velvet gown that flatters the waist and trails a little at the hem.
What she said after wearing it
The pile catches the candlelight at dinner and shifts between near-black and a deep smoky grey as I move. Basalt is far richer in person than any screen suggests, and that folded band across the bust sits beautifully flat.
Genuinely the most elegant thing I own. The mermaid line hugs through the hip then releases just below the knee, so I could still climb the steps to the ballroom without mincing. Floor-length on me with low heels, and the off-shoulder neckline framed my collarbones.
That slim skirt does extraordinary things to a silhouette.
I land between a Medium and a Large and chose the Large for an easier line through the hip on the mermaid skirt. It's lovely and forgiving worn this way, though the off-shoulder band sits a touch lower than a snug fit would. If you prefer it close to the body, take the smaller of your two sizes. The velvet and the long sleeves are everything I hoped for.
The first gown reached me with a crushed shoulder seam and a scuff on the box where it had clearly taken a knock somewhere on the courier's van. Disappointing to open. The atelier sorted a fresh one without quibbling and that one was immaculate, velvet perfect, sleeves perfect. The dress itself is beautiful, deeply so, the delivery just let it down the first time round.
Thank you for your patience, and we're so sorry your first Rufina arrived knocked about in transit. That isn't the unboxing this gown deserves. We're glad the replacement reached you as it should, with the velvet and shoulder line intact, and that you can now enjoy it fully. Should you ever need us again, contact@hctbeauty.com reaches the atelier directly. Wear it beautifully.
Long fitted velvet sleeves are why I bought it over a strappy gown, and they were a quiet blessing in a draughty old church for an evening wedding. Warm, covered, and still unmistakably formal.
The crossed surplice gathers softly over the bust rather than flattening you, and the velvet has weight, so the whole thing falls and sways instead of clinging. Walking in it feels lovely.
Hard to rate this fairly because the gown is genuinely gorgeous, but my original parcel simply never turned up. The tracking went quiet and the carrier eventually admitted they'd misplaced it entirely. Once I emailed the atelier they sent another straightaway and that one arrived safely, the velvet as rich as I'd hoped and the mermaid skirt stunning. The carrier ordeal is the only reason for the stars.
We're truly sorry the courier lost your first Rufina and left you chasing silence on the tracking. That is not the experience we want for you. Thank you for flagging it so we could get a replacement moving quickly, and we're relieved it reached you safely so you can finally enjoy the velvet and that mermaid line. If anything else ever comes up, write to us at contact@hctbeauty.com and we'll look after you.
Entirely my own fault and nothing to do with HCT, but I managed to submit the order twice in a muddle and ended up with two of the same gown when I only wanted one. Sorting the return out was an extra errand I'd rather not have had. The Rufina itself is beautiful, the velvet weighty and the off-shoulder cut elegant, so the one star reflects my own slip, not the piece.
Please don't be hard on yourself, a duplicated order is the easiest thing in the world to do, and we're sorry it became an errand. We'd happily have helped from the first email, and we still can: just reach us at contact@hctbeauty.com and we'll make returning the second Rufina as painless as possible. We're delighted the gown itself won you over, and we hope it becomes a long-loved part of your evenings.
Velvet can read flat in pictures but this didn't. The folds along the bust band and the curve of the mermaid skirt gave every photo from the evening real depth and shadow.
Slipped it on, did up the back, and was ready. No fuss, no second-guessing. The off-shoulder sits exactly where it should and stays put through dancing.
For under four hundred this competes with gowns I've tried at three times the price. The velvet is dense and matte, the lining is proper, and the seams along the mermaid panel are clean and considered.
I have hips and a soft middle and feared the mermaid cut would be unforgiving, but the surplice band skims the waist and the skirt skims rather than grips. I felt held, not squeezed.
Five hours at a charity dinner, sat, stood, danced, and never once tugged at it. The fitted sleeves move with the arm and the neckline didn't slip. Rare in a fitted gown.
Not black, not grey, but a deep storm colour that looks intentional. Against pale skin and silver jewellery it's striking, and it works for any formal palette without competing.
Everyone comments on the front off-shoulder line, but the way the mermaid skirt sweeps out behind as you walk away is the real drama. It pools just slightly at the floor.
Bought it for her seventieth birthday dinner and she was emotional opening it. The covered sleeves and floor length suit a woman who wants glamour without bare arms, and she's worn it twice already.
Off the shoulder but not falling off it. The band gives structure so I wasn't hoisting it all evening, and it bared just enough to feel occasion-worthy.
Turned it inside out, as I always do, and was reassured. Fully lined through the bodice, weighted hem, neat overlocking. Nothing scratchy against the skin even with the velvet sleeves.
Floor-sweeping velvet column with a fishtail finish and long sleeves reads like a 1940s portrait. I added a red lip and that was the entire look.
I deliberated over the price for a week and have no regrets. It's the dress I'll reach for every formal winter event for years, so per-wear it's already paid off.
Stand still and it's a sleek column. Walk and the velvet skirt fans and ripples below the knee. That contrast between fitted and fluid is what makes it special.
I've bought from the atelier before and trusted the cut, and this didn't disappoint. The sizing was consistent with my last piece and the velvet quality exceeded what I expected for an evening gown at this tier.
Wore it to my brother's black-tie wedding as a guest. Long-sleeved velvet meant I was warm during the outdoor photos, and the off-shoulder line kept it from feeling matronly. Several guests asked which house it was.
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 evening, dinners and the after-dark hours. Basalt and the deeper tones read beautifully after dark; the lighter colors suit daytime.
Pieces that share the Basalt palette and the house line
