If they had not been brought together by their love of design, each other and dolce vita, or the sweet life, the world of fashion would have lost a very important link. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana bumped into each other in an atelier in Milan and have been inseparable ever since. Although now only business-wise, because as a couple they did not survive.
Their success has not stopped since the first Dolce&Gabbana brand show in 1986 in Milan. Customers from all over the world have come to love their Mediterranean style, so full of joy, sunshine and glamour.
Domenico & Stefano
Domenico Dolce began his career as a designer in his father's family clothing business near Palermo, Sicily. He studied fashion and later moved to Milan, where he worked as an assistant stylist from 1980
It was there that he met Stefano Gabbana, originally from Venice, who became a designer after giving up his job as a graphic designer. They quickly found a common language of artistic expression and in 1982 they set up a joint establishment in the Italian fashion capital, initially being subcontracted by other fashion houses. The opportunity to set sail came three years later, when they were invited to present their first official collection as part of the young designers' show during Milan fashion week. After that, things happened fast....
Sensual and provocative
Real Women, their first women's ready-to-wear collection, gained international acclaim. Striped suits, hourglass-shaped silhouettes, lingerie showing here and there, rich embellishments, baroque glamour and animal prints - it was sensual and provocative.
Over the following decades the brand has grown steadily. D&G is their second, more urban and less expensive line. There are constant collections of menswear and children's clothing, leather goods, shoes, accessories, perfumes, colourful cosmetics, eyewear, furniture, home décor, as well as food and wine - all while continuing to explore the Italian heritage of both designers.
Their inspirations are varied, but always remain deeply rooted in a mediterranean and picturesque aesthetic, incorporating references to the duo's Sicilian and Venetian origins, such as Baroque painting, pop culture and Italian cinema, and even church crafts.
In the meantime Domenico & Stefano have come and gone in their private lives, now only remaining partners on professional grounds.
Celebrities love Dolce&Gabbana
As Italians do, designers love sport and are keen to support it. Dolce & Gabbana creates jerseys and official outfits for AC Milan, Chelsea FC and Italian national team footballers. They are also official sponsors of the Milano Thunder boxing team. Sporting influences are not absent from their men's line.
They designed 1500 stage costumes for just one Madonna tour. In their costumes also performed, among others: Whitney Houston, Missy Elliot, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, and Kylie Minogue.
Their glamorous show in Venice in the summer of 2021 was attended by many celebrities. The guest list included the names of: Helen Mirren, Sharon Stone, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Doja Cat, Kris Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Ciara, Megan Thee Stallion, Heidi Klum, Christian Bale. There, Jennifer Lopez stole the show wearing floral trousers, a top and a truly regal coat by the fashion duo. Their choice of accessories, including a richly embellished handbag and shoes and a tiara on her head turned her into a true goddess of the senses. In their latest collection, the singer's image adorns one of the t-shirts along with the words of her hit song "If you had my love".
Such is their style. A predilection for an ultra-feminine wardrobe: provocative but never vulgar, beautifully playful, poetic and sometimes even kitsch, although all dictated by the spirit of dolce vita that has made Dolce & Gabbana so successful.
Dolce & Gabbana for men:
Dolce & Gabbana for women:
