Dolce & Gabbana, Text: Claudia Schmidt
Dolce & Gabbana – a name that is known worldwide not only to fashionistas. The Italian fashion company has been at the center of the global fashion industry for years and has been inspiring the fashion world for decades. It was founded in 1985 by the fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in Legnano near Milan.
Dolce & Gabbana is a household name for exclusivity, elegance and quality. They have been part of the high fashion since the 2000s, their collections create a buzz at the Milan Fashion Week and countless stars regularly have themselves outfitted by Dolce & Gabbana.
The beginnings
The two designers first met during an interview, when Dolce applied for a job at the Gabbana fashion house. Stefano Gabbana quickly noticed the passion and talent of young Dolce and took him under his wing. Together they designed their first collection that was presented at Milan Fashion Week in 1985. Quite soon after this first collection, the first store was opened and since then they are probably the most famous fashion duo of the Italian fashion circus.
Domenico Dolce e Stefano Gabbana, Photo: forbes.com
Inspirations
Domenico Dolce was born in August 1958 in Sicily as the son of a textile manufacturer. A background that shaped him. At the age of seven, he was already able to tailor a jacket on his own – a talent that is second to none. Later he was drawn to the fashion metropolis of Milan.
But the island of Sicily always remained in his heart and he lets this shine through in numerous collections.
Photos: yoox.com
The bright colors, the eclectic patterns and also the sensuality of his designs can be traced back to his enthusiasm for the opulent backdrops of Sicily, but also to the fashion taste of Southern Italy. If you are looking for minimalism – Dolce & Gabbana is not the place to go. In Milan, Gabbana taught Dolce how collections are created and how the fashion business works. And this remains the dynamic to this day: While Dolce is the creative head of the company – Gabbana remains the businessman.
Fashion for the stars
The many stars who bring the collections to life by wearing them on the red carpet are crucial for the fame of the duo. And it comes as no surprise, since the eye-catching designs are made to be presented on stage. The international breakthrough came after Madonna wore Dolce & Gabbana clothes for the first time at her premiere of „Truth or Dare“ in 1990. It was a jewel-studded corset and jacket – and everyone wanted to look like Madonna. The fashion duo designed more than 1,500 costumes for Madonna’s international tour “Girlie Show” in 1992 – a high honor. Since then they have also created stage outfits for numerous other international stars such as Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott. The stars simply love Italian opulence.
Elegant theatricality
First and foremost the company stands for class, quality, stylish and elegant theatricality and exclusivity. At the same time the brand always manages to meet the expectations of its customers while still retaining their typical extravagance. Especially their mix of classic patterns, which in combination with rivets and sexy cuts are anything but dull, made them absolute superstars. The luxury label is particularly known for its exciting evening wear, which inspires fashion fans at numerous red carpets.
Photo: neonbrand
The collections of Dolce & Gabbana now include not only women’s fashion but also other products such as glasses, watches, handbags, perfumes, cosmetics and lately even kitchen appliances.
Photo: Rumanamin
Talent, hard work and perseverance
They may be younger than other traditional companies in the same league, but they are still in no way inferior to them in terms of creativity and sales figures. Dolce & Gabbana will certainly continue to belong to the ranks of the superstars of Italian fashion, despite a few scandals – because that’s what the two congenial founders were born for. This kind of success requires more than just talent, but also hard work and perseverance. And Dolce & Gabbana prove they have what it takes to their fans and critics alike every season.