Dolce & Gabbana: A Short Story

A Brief History of D&G 

D&G stands for the last names of two exceptionally talented fashion designers, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. These Italian natives have made an indelible impression on the world of fashion; their passionate dedication to creating sexy, eye-catching designs has served them quite well through the years. Although their collection has expanded to include men's fashion, fragrances and accessories like first-rate watches, D&G originally made its make through women's fashions. The partnership between Dolce and Gabbana remains strong, despite the fact that the two were once romantically linked. In other words, the fashion and design that has been created by these two men has transcended everything else.

Partners both in life and in business, the pair met while working as assistants in an atelier in Milan. Sharing a love of the baroque, they made their name together in 1985, when the organisers of the Milano Collezioni invited them to take part in a fashion show to launch "New Talents". The following year, they presented their first independent women's ready-to-wear show. Since then, they have introduced menswear and a line of signature fragrances, and opened shops in Italy, Japan, Hong Kong and, in 1999,in London (the London salon, designed by British architect David Chipperfield, is testament to the designers' love of mixing their own Mediterranean spirit with English eccentricity).

Originally inspired by eclectic, thrift shop Bohemia, Dolce & Gabbana's deeply coloured, animal prints have been described as "haute hippydom" taking inspiration in particular from Italy's prestigious film history. "When we design it's like a movie," says Domenico Dolce. "We think of a story and we design the clothes to go with it." They claim to be more concerned about creating the best, most flattering clothes than sparking trends, once admitting that they wouldn't mind if their only contribution to fashion history was a black bra.

D&G trademarks include underwear-as-outerwear (such as corsets and bra fastenings), gangster boss pinstripe suits, extravagantly printed and embroidered coats, and black. Meanwhile their fetish-meets-femininity collections are always backed by powerful ad campaigns, like the black-and-white La Sicilia, featuring model Marpessa photographed by Ferdinando Scianna in 1987. But fundamentally they are known for making women look, quite simply, devastatingly sexy. "They find their way out of any black dress, any buttoned-up blouse," says Rossellini. "The first piece of theirs I wore was a white shirt, very chaste, but cut to make my breasts look as if they were bursting out of it."

Once dubbed the "Gilbert and George of Italian fashion", Dolce and Gabbana gave their fashion interests a musical turn in 1996, by recording their own single, in which they intoned the words "D&G is love" over a techno beat. Newer to the design game than other heavyweight Italian fashion houses such as Versace and Armani, the pair acknowledge that luck has played its part in their phenomenal success. By 1997, their company reported a turnover of £400 million, prompting both designers to announce that they planned to retire by the age of 40 - a promise they happily did not keep.               

A Dramatic Beginning

Many designers struggle for years, decades - or their entire lifetimes - before enjoying even a modicum of success. That wasn't the case for Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, though. Fittingly, the two men met during an atelier in Milan, Italy. Thanks to their shared love of the Baroque style, they decided to go into business together. This proved to be fortuitous, since they were featured in a "New Talents" show during the Milano Collezione in 1985. That exposure catapulted the two men to instant fame in the cutthroat world of high fashion.

By 1986 - just a short year later - Dolce and Gabbana were ready to unleash their unique fashion stylings and sensibilities onto the world. That year, they debuted their very first women's ready-to-wear collection and featured it in a show. Almost instantly, people showed intense interest and enthusiasm for D&G's style and aesthetics. Right from the start, then, it was clear that these two young fashion designers were a force to be reckoned with - and that they would have a prominent position in the world of fashion for many years to come.
D&G Flourishes

The D&G label became associated with many key things through the years. As they expanded into menswear, their ultra-suave pinstriped suits became staples. Elaborately embroidered and decorated coats and jackets were also hot sellers. Underwear-as-outerwear became a regular runway feature; D&G popularised the look of the corset as a top for women, too. Above all else, sexiness was the primary goal and achievement of every one of D&G's designs. Their fashion simply oozed sex appeal; people couldn't get enough. Much of their inspiration was drawn from Italian film, a genre that is considered to be among the sexiest in the world.

Of course, D&G couldn't rest on their laurels. In addition to breaking into men's fashion, D&G unleashed exciting fragrances and accessories on the world. D&G watches, in particular, distilled the essence of the D&G name and style into elegant, wearable timepieces. Thanks to their ever-expanding lineup, one can dress in D&G from head to toe, if one wants. Considering the fact that this impressive empire all began with the passion and skill of two unknown men, it is remarkable to think of how far D&G have come. Without question, their mark on the world of fashion will remain for many years to come.