Dolce and Gabbana
Since arriving on the fashion scene in the mid-1980s, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have created clothing that is unapologetically sexy. Their designs are characterized by lingerie styling, vibrant animal prints, and lavish brocades. Gabbana admits, “When we design a dress, we try to imagine whether a man will whistle at the woman who buys it.” Despite their provocative overtones, however, Dolce and Gabbana’s garments are also designed with regard for tailoring and Italian tradition.
Sicilian-born Domenico Dolce, the son of a tailor, made his first pair of trousers when he was just seven years old. Stefano Gabbana hails from Milan, where his father worked as a printer. Dolce briefly attended fashion school, while Gabbana studied graphic design. However, after working in that field for only six months, Gabbana began to seek jobs in fashion. It was then that he met Dolce, who was employed as an assistant at a design house.
The pair soon became involved romantically as well as professionally; they presented their first collection, Geometrissimo, in 1985. While many other Italian designers focused on power-dressing, Dolce and Gabbana’s style was more feminine and romantic. Each garment was cut and sewn by the designers themselves—because at the time, they could not afford assistants. Likewise, they aptly entitled their next collection Real Women: unable to pay professional models, the couple had asked friends and relatives to walk the runway.
From such humble beginnings, Dolce & Gabbana quickly gained recognition as one of the most exciting labels in Milan. During the 1990s, the designers’ slinky slip dresses, sultry corset-tops, and figure-hugging suits were often commended for their provocative yet empowering aesthetic. In addition to ad campaigns by illustrious photographers such as Steven Meisel, Madonna’s regular commission of Dolce & Gabbana designs dramatically increased the label’s appeal.
Although Dolce and Gabbana ended their romantic relationship in 2005, the designers have retained their strong professional association. Now in business for over twenty five years, they oversee fourteen collections, including menswear, children’s wear, accessories, and, of course, underwear. Despite its breadth, their label’s tremendous success is easily summarized by Domenico Dolce: “At the end of the day, you know what we sell? Style.”
