Ennio Capasa & Costume National
Hailing from the heel of Italy's boot – the town of Lecce – Ennio Capasa was raised on fashion. Capasa's parents were proprietors of several upscale boutiques showcasing a glamorous abundance of couture. As a child, the designer despised fashion, but the allure of design lead him to enroll in the Milan Academy of Fine Arts in 1982. As the founder of Costume National, Capasa has embraced his fashion beginnings and today designs clothes that straddle the line between everyday wear and on-the-town elegance.
Spring 2008 Collections:
Convertible Cross-Body Bag
• Single handle with an attachable cross body strap. Handle drop: 5" in length. Cross body drop: 20 1/2" in length.
• This stylish leather bag from Costume National is the perfect balance between contemporary and classic.
• Holds your wallet, sunglasses, personal technology and a small bottle of water.
• Interior lining with a back wall zip pocket and multifunctional slip pockets.
• Dimensions: 14" wide x 3 1/2" deep x 7 1/2" high.
• Platform bottom.
• Top zip closure.
• Made in Italy.
$1744
Neutral Leather Tote
• You'll get sick of all the compliments when you're carrying this gorgeous bag from Costume National.
• Holds your wallet, sunglasses, personal technology, a bottle of water and a copy of your favorite fashion magazine.
• Interior lining with a back wall zip pocket and multifunctional slip pockets.
• Dimensions: 12 1/2" wide x 5" deep x 15" high.
• Dual handles. Handle drop: 5 1/2" length.
• Platform bottom with feet.
• Front exterior zip pocket.
• Top zip closure.
• Made in Italy.
$1224
Studded Leather Pump
• Step into elegance with these luxurious shoes from Costume National.
• An alternate colored tag is placed at the center of the strap with four studs.
• Colorful strap across the front of the shoe.
• Leather upper.
• Leather lining.
• Leather sole.
• Made in Italy.
• 4" heel.
$604
Slingback City Sandal
• Totally contemporary slingback city sandal in a fun color combination.
• Smooth leather upper.
• Leather lining.
• Leather sole.
• Made in Italy.
• 3 1/2" heel.
$584
The Label
After studying fashion and urban project design in Milan, Ennio Capasa left for Japan in 1982 to work for Yohji Yamamoto, where he learned to drape, cut and sew. Four years later, he returned to Milan to start his own label, Costume National – a name inspired by a book of uniforms – and launched his first ready-to-wear and shoe collection for women in 1987.
Capasa left Japan with Yamamoto's suggestion in his ear to begin his own label-his talent apparent early on. However, instead of using his own surname as so many designers do, he took inspiration from an antique book of uniforms, and Costume National was born in 1993. Even at this early stage, Capasa's designs reflected a desire to blur the line between formal and informal attire.
Although Capasa's first collections were for men, he quickly launched a women's line, but it did not meet with initial approval from the Italian fashion press. Nevertheless, even without an initial press buzz, the savvy designer has met with considerable success in both his men and women's fashions. He is known throughout the world these days with his own boutiques in Rome, Milan, Tokyo and New York. Costume National is also available from other upscale and progressive retailers like Barney's of New York.
The Designer
A graduate of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Capasa dabbles in all types of creation. Beyond the runway, he designs costumes for stage and film and creates the concept for CNC's stores as well as various art exhibitions, including a 2002 show at Milan's Pavillion of Contemporary Art, which featured works from Louise Bourgeois and Cindy Sherman.
Hailing from the heel of Italy's boot – the town of Lecce – Ennio Capasa was raised on fashion. Capasa's parents were proprietors of several upscale boutiques showcasing a glamorous abundance of couture. As a child, the designer despised fashion, but the allure of design lead him to enroll in the Milan Academy of Fine Arts in 1982. As the founder of Costume National, Capasa has embraced his fashion beginnings and today designs clothes that straddle the line between everyday wear and on-the-town elegance.
Spring 2008 Collections:
Convertible Cross-Body Bag
• Single handle with an attachable cross body strap. Handle drop: 5" in length. Cross body drop: 20 1/2" in length.
• This stylish leather bag from Costume National is the perfect balance between contemporary and classic.
• Holds your wallet, sunglasses, personal technology and a small bottle of water.
• Interior lining with a back wall zip pocket and multifunctional slip pockets.
• Dimensions: 14" wide x 3 1/2" deep x 7 1/2" high.
• Platform bottom.
• Top zip closure.
• Made in Italy.
$1744
Neutral Leather Tote
• You'll get sick of all the compliments when you're carrying this gorgeous bag from Costume National.
• Holds your wallet, sunglasses, personal technology, a bottle of water and a copy of your favorite fashion magazine.
• Interior lining with a back wall zip pocket and multifunctional slip pockets.
• Dimensions: 12 1/2" wide x 5" deep x 15" high.
• Dual handles. Handle drop: 5 1/2" length.
• Platform bottom with feet.
• Front exterior zip pocket.
• Top zip closure.
• Made in Italy.
$1224
Studded Leather Pump
• Step into elegance with these luxurious shoes from Costume National.
• An alternate colored tag is placed at the center of the strap with four studs.
• Colorful strap across the front of the shoe.
• Leather upper.
• Leather lining.
• Leather sole.
• Made in Italy.
• 4" heel.
$604
Slingback City Sandal
• Totally contemporary slingback city sandal in a fun color combination.
• Smooth leather upper.
• Leather lining.
• Leather sole.
• Made in Italy.
• 3 1/2" heel.
$584
The Label
After studying fashion and urban project design in Milan, Ennio Capasa left for Japan in 1982 to work for Yohji Yamamoto, where he learned to drape, cut and sew. Four years later, he returned to Milan to start his own label, Costume National – a name inspired by a book of uniforms – and launched his first ready-to-wear and shoe collection for women in 1987.
Capasa left Japan with Yamamoto's suggestion in his ear to begin his own label-his talent apparent early on. However, instead of using his own surname as so many designers do, he took inspiration from an antique book of uniforms, and Costume National was born in 1993. Even at this early stage, Capasa's designs reflected a desire to blur the line between formal and informal attire.
Although Capasa's first collections were for men, he quickly launched a women's line, but it did not meet with initial approval from the Italian fashion press. Nevertheless, even without an initial press buzz, the savvy designer has met with considerable success in both his men and women's fashions. He is known throughout the world these days with his own boutiques in Rome, Milan, Tokyo and New York. Costume National is also available from other upscale and progressive retailers like Barney's of New York.
The Designer
A graduate of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Capasa dabbles in all types of creation. Beyond the runway, he designs costumes for stage and film and creates the concept for CNC's stores as well as various art exhibitions, including a 2002 show at Milan's Pavillion of Contemporary Art, which featured works from Louise Bourgeois and Cindy Sherman.
