Dolce & Gabbana, the story.
Born in 1985 in Legnano with offices in Milan, the fashion house Dolce & Gabbana embodies the essence of Italian style and culture. Italian Tradition will take you to the discovery of a brand which is the symbol of made in Italy.
Domenico Dolce was born in Polizzi, in Sicily, and as a kid he approaches the tailoring world of the family business. Stefano Gabbana, from Veneto, was born in Milan and he starts his career as a graphic designer. It is right there in Milan that the two future designers meet working for the same company. They found an art consulting company in the design field that will eventually turn into what we know today as one of the most famous fashion houses in the world.
Dolce & Gabbana and the “Real Women”
It was entrepreneur Beppe Modenese, considered the creator of Italian fashion, to invite them to 1985’s Milan Fashion Week as new talents: so the first Dolce & Gabbana catwalk happened. For lack of budget it was their friend who walked the catwalk and the collection, called “Real Women”, showed already how right from the start the creations of the two designers were inspired by the female figure. Starting from their fourth collection the brand started establishing itself and making the sicilian tradition protagonist of their creations. The advertising campaign of the line was shot in Sicily with black and white images that were inspired by cinema from the 40s. It is right in this collection that appears one of the garments that will become the essence of the Dolce & Gabbana brand: the black dress. Called by the press “the Sicilian dress” is a slip dress that envelops and enhances the shaped of the female silhouette, being both sexy and refined at the same time. Created as a reintepretation of the garment worn by Sicilian women in mourning, the Dolce & Gabbana black dress has become today a true icon, offered in many versions: from the simple tube dress, to the very tight one with the corset, to that entirely made of lace.
Madonna, global testimonial of Dolce & Gabbana
The brand had its biggest expansion in the 90s, the lines launched were diverse, among which were perfumes, lingerie, and swimwear. In 1992 the first menswear collection was presented. The Dolce & Gabbana man stands out since then for his elegant and tailored style, with reference to the suits used by Italian-American gangsters. The first international recognition was obtained thanks to the menswear collection, which was awarded the Woolmark Award as the most innovative that year. However, it was ultimately Madonna to make the brand famous at a global level wearing one of the iconic corsets covered in gems. That is how the collaboration with the popstar came to be, which led the designer to create over 1500 costumes for Madonna’ international tour “Girlie Show”. After that there were many stars dressed by the two designers for their tours, among them are: Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Kylie Minogue. The movie inspiration and the female sensuality are the foundation of Dolce & Gabbana’s esthetics: among their muses there have always been Italian actresses. Among them stands out Sophia Loren, the iconic embodiment of the Italian woman; but also Gina Lollobrigida, Anna Magnani and Monica Bellucci, brand ambassadors.
A style also football, Dolce & Gabbana for A.C Milan and beyond.
In 1994 the line D&G comes to be, dedicated to younger people; the garments, more essential and sporty are characterized by a visible logo, that became one of the most popular trends in the early 00s. The line was then coupled with the main one in 2012. Another sign of the success and the breath of fresh air led by the brand is the partnership with A.C. Milan in 2004 and after that with Chelsea; Dolce & Gabbana designs the uniforms and suits for the two team and the technical staff. This collaboration influences the collection inspired by famous soccers, confirming the ability of the brand to anticipate and create the trends. Today the collaborations are several, from the world of food to that of home furnishing.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana currently represent the made in Italy fashion and are considered the investors of the mediterranean style. The references to Sicily are always present in their collections: the colourful prints that decorate the dresses are a true homage to folklore and to craftsmanship of the island with depictions of the sicilian cart, ceramics, moors, and the theatre of the Pupi. In recent years, the fashion shows of the Haute Couture line were not limited to Sicily but were held in different Italian cities that the collection honors with unique references to art, architecture, flavors, colors and to all the beauties of the peninsula.
Cover Image: elle