Score!

Back to all posts

Twenty years of Dolce&Gabbana equels twenty years of super-charged fashion, inspired by the street, embraced by the stars and brought to you by the masters of seduction. A new book celebrates the Italian design duo’s unique aesthetic.

Imagine for a moment fashion history without the imprint of the exuberant talents of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Bra tops, brocade, corseted siren dresses and lace might never have entered the style vernacular. Leopard print would have remainded in the annals of naff and jeans would never have gone bling. And just picture the stage of music, film and fashion without the duo – bereft of their magical combination of eroticism, humour and crytal – spangled decadence. Recall Madonna (a loyal fan) on her Girlie How tour in 1993, Kylie Minogue on her 2002 European Fever tour; Victoria Beckham in her panoply of cleavage dresses and Angelina Jolie in her now legendary white suit … In defining the self-possessed and sexually empowered image of modern womanhood, Dolce and Gabbana are a turbo power.

The duo first met in a Milanese nightclub in the early Eighties. It’s fitting meeting place for two talants that have consistently drawn from nightlife and the street for their style ideas. Dolce, who comes from tailoring fimily in Sicily, was working as an assistant for a small design studio, while Gabbana, who’d trained in graphics, had recently been approaching fashion houses for work. Dolce encouraged Gabbana to apply to the studio where he worked and they joined forces. It was the accountant who suggested they combine their names to invoice the company.

In 1985 they came up with their first collection, which debuted as part of the New Talant show at Milan collections. ”We worked though the night and did everything ourselves on a small sewing machine. I made the paper patters and Stefano cut them out,” says Dolce. ”It was a great time for fashion in Milan,” adds Gabbana. ”People’s demand for novelty was growing faster and faster and a lot of young designers were trying to make their way.”

The debut collection, entitled ”Real women”, was a line-up of stretchy black jersey pieces influenced by the Japanese designers who had just broken through in Paris; albeit sexier, with plunging backs and tight silhouettes. ”We wanted to go against the trend and create something new. linear and stretchy, ” says Gabbana. it struck a chord. The duo were up and running with start-up money of just $ 4.000.

This year, Dolce&Gabbana celebrate their twentieth anniversary in the buisness. Over those two decades, these design partners have made a big impact on fashion and pop culture. Unusually, and against the trend for takeovers and makeovers, they are still independent. Independently successful, too. Last year’s was a healthy $ 1 194 000.

”We wanted just to make clothes and make people love them,” says Gabbana

---