La Dolce Vita: #DolceandGabbana Narratives of Heritage.

Established in 1985, the luxury brand Dolce and Gabbana continues to blend the right amount of Sicilian heritage with the sensual femininity of the Mediterranean.

Domenico Dolce, born in Polizzi Generosa (near Palermo, Sicily) in 1958 and graphic design student Stefano Gabbana born in Milan in 1962 first met in a club in the early Eighties. They later worked together as assistant designers for the same fashion house when they decided to collaborate ideas, where soon after the Dolce and Gabbana label was founded.

Italian fashion promoter Beppe Modenese invited them to Milan Fashion Week in 1985 for their debut runway show as part of the New Talent Group. The new and upcoming brand did not have the required funds to hire runway models for “The Real Women” knitwear line, so they requested friends to model and complement the garments with their own accessories. The duo was inspired by images from the 1940s Italian cinema, with references to the women of Italian realism; sensual and austere like Anna Magnani, a muse that has remained consistent for the brand.

Images By Vogue Runway

In 1990 debuted Dolce and Gabbana’s First Runway Show for Men. But the collection that made the most impact for the house was the campaign shoot in Sicily. Featuring the first incarnation of “The Sicilian Dress” with ornate crosses described by Hal Rubenstein as “the essence of Dolce and Gabbana.” For several seasons’ campaigns the pair have casted ordinary men and women, typically from native Italy.

Images By Dolce & Gabbana

In 1990 Madonna appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in the Dolce&Gabbana jewelled-encrusted corset as she selected from one of the 1,500 costumes the duo exclusively designed for her “Girlie” world tour which publicized their friendship. Dolce and Gabbana were seen as a refreshing alternative to the serious and sombre looking fashions prevalent in the Nineties and fresh fragrances.

Image By Dave Hogan

1994 the house introduced the street label of D&G offering a different clientele of individuals clothing, which was incorporated into the main Dolce&Gabbana in 2012. Making way for the first ultra-luxurious immersion known as Alta Moda in Taormina, Sicily. The weekend-long success saw 80 women gather all-encompassing to view hand-designed garments for the occasion. Today the brand is present in the Prêt-à-porter segment with over 750 exclusive members looking for an elegant lifestyle immersing themselves in La Dolce Vita.

Images By Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce and Gabbana have long minced Sicily’s exuberant patterns and baroque churches. The fashion duo has not only won the hearts of Milan, but other fashion connoisseurs globally. Dolce and Gabbana’s unique designs are drawn upon and reinvented to fit today’s standards whilst moving the brand forward into the era of modernity with the current face of the brand Kim Kardashian.

Image By Dolce & Gabbana