MilanStyle profiles some of fashion’s, and in particular, menswear’s, most important designers, continuing with Dolce & Gabbana.
INTRODUCTION
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have become one of the world’s best known fashion brands with many celebrity fans happy to be walking advertisements for the house. Their designs reflect their own suave Italian image and their sleek, high-octane glamour creations have been embraced by men and women alike. Their appeal lies in taking classic menswear items, such as the suit and re-fashioning them to appeal to today’s tastes. Their narrow cut suits, which have the effect of making a man look broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, have taken what can sometimes be a stuffy item on a younger man and made it look glamorous. Domenico Dolce’s Sicilian heritage provides as inspiration for their menswear collections too, with muted shades of earthy browns alongside blacks with flashes of colour to reproduce modern-day versions of Sicilian gangsters, taken straight from the designer’s childhood memories.
Why did they start a menswear collection, when their womenswear line was already so successful? Quite simply, they couldn’t find the type of clothes they wanted to wear themselves. (Although, they admit that back in the 1980s they admired the Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto and his menswear collections).
In their own words, they believe they design for the ‘real man’, yes, a dandy nevertheless, but still a real man. Their menswear can be provocative and their advertising campaigns typically outrageous, (several campaigns have been banned or at least severely edited for being too sexual) but as the designers will frequently testify, this is ultimately only to draw attention to the company’s designs. Still, after all this, the clothes they design they want to see the ‘real man’ wearing, they explain, not just their celebrity friends – this explains then why Dolce & Gabbana is one of the few fashion houses to cater towards the broader man, with extended sizes.
A typical Dolce & Gabbana men's look - the juxtaposition of the super sleek velvet tuxedo, crisp white shirt worn with torn, faded jeans. Dolce & Gabbana Menswear - Autumn / Winter 2011.
BACKGROUND
Their rise from humble beginnings to international stardom has never been entirely smooth though. After meeting in Milan in 1980 whilst working as assistants, Domenico and Stefano went on set up their first fashion consulting studio in 1982. However, they did not immediately find success and began their label by holding their own fashions shows in their Milan apartment. It wasn’t until one of these shows, were they were given a slot in the 1984 Milan fashion week, that the Dolce & Gabbana label we know today was born. From then on they began to release numerous lines which won them awards from across the fashion industry. These ranged from awards for clothing and footwear to outstanding financial performance. Despite this however, the duo fell into trouble in 2008 when Italian authorities began to investigate them over claims that they had set up a company to avoid paying taxes. As recently as 2011 this case has been re-opened by the Italian authorities.
Their career has been peppered with memorable moments since their breakthrough at the Milano Collezioni show in 1985. The launch of the younger ‘D&G’ line allowed them to offer designer clothing at more affordable prices, allowing them to reach a wider range of everyday people. Their accomplishments have earned them praise from critics all over the world including being awarded ‘Best Designer of the Year’ at the GQ Men of the Year Awards.
Today, we respect this label for their unerring quest to design the perfect men’s leather jacket, one of their specialities updated each season, and their Italian interpretation of tailoring, ensuring that suits and blazers need never look boring.
DOLCE & GABBANA: A HISTORY
- 1986 – First collection released
- 1987 – First showroom opens in Milan
- 1989 – First boutique opens in Japan
- 1990 – First men’s collection is released: Dolce & Gabbana Men’s Collection
- 1990 - First showroom opens in New York
- 1991 – They receive the Woolmark Award for most innovative Men’s collection
- 1992 – Dolce & Gabbana for men cologne is released
- 2004 – First stand-alone store opens in Bond Street, London
- 2010 – The designers celebrate 25 years in the business and of their ‘Dolce & Gabbana’ label alongside friend Naomi Campbell, who also celebrated 25 years in fashion.
- 2012 – The ‘D&G’ collection will close, allowing the designers to concentrate most on their Dolce & Gabbana mainline collections.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have excelled in the fashion industry. They have been rocketed to fashion celebrity status with their sharp designs and the support of a number of famous customers, unusually the designers are now almost as famous as the customers they dress. The pair have always concentrated on vibrant colours and experimental fabrics which have ensured that their vision is often unique amongst their contemporaries. Nor are they just womenswear designers who happen to have a money-spinning menswear line. Their talent is evident in that their trademark suits, knitwear and their flatteringly cut shirts remain key items in any man’s wardrobe year after year – and always with a look of Dolce & Gabbana.
“We want our brand to live forever” – Dolce & Gabbana
