Brand story: Dolce & Gabbana

Since their first collection in 1985, no one has glamorised the Italian woman quite like Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. By taking influence from ‘real women’, they have captured every generation and empowered women to dress in their own way.
From the iconic black lace, to the embroidery and playful prints of spaghetti, pizza and mandolins from their Spring - Summer 2017 collection, italian folklore has been a continuous theme throughout their ultra-desirable luxury collections. They also took inspiration from the Catholic religion and baroque style, pairing bold motifs such as embellished crosses and stained glass windows with fashion-forward glamorous outfits. Business was booming in the 90s and Dolce & Gabbana played a part in modernising the way fashion was perceived, whilst also reinventing the international image of Italian women.

For their marketing campaigns, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have used actresses of Italian descent, powerful and feminine women including Sophia Loren, Isabella Rossellini and Monica Bellucci. They have all helped to build the image of an ultra-feminine luxury brand, targeting admirers of its sensual and rebellious classicism. Talking about the influence of the Sicilian women dressed in black lace, Isabella Rossellini said “They glorified her and made her sexy. They took the things we Italians were embarrassed about and made them glamorous”. The brand is also famed for surrounding itself with icons of pop culture. In 1993, the designers created more than 1,500 costumes for Madonna’s Girlie Show World Tour. Gem encrusted bra tops, decadent baroque headdresses, cropped sequin jackets and super skinny jeans... nothing is too much for one of the boldest American pop stars who, like Dolce & Gabbana, built her reputation on an image of expression, glamour and controversy. With Madonna as the brand's muse, the designer duo extended their circle of influence by dressing other celebrities renowned for their distinctive style, such as Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue and Jennifer Lopez.

Dolce and Gabbana have always being recognised for looking to their heritage and combining this with relevant contrasting design features. In the same way, they have been one step ahead when it comes to balancing their brand identity with business decisions that have lead to them staying one step ahead within the market. Whilst the likes of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger won over the public in the 90s with their basics and logos, Dolce and Gabbana launched their diffusion line D&G - a sportier and more affordable range that appealed to a younger audience across America and Europe. Still recognised all over the world it Its monogram is recognised all over the world and has become a symbol of Italian popular culture.

The brand has also been forward thinking when it comes to embrace new technology. For its Fall - Winter 2015 collection, the designers made headphones encrusted with rhinestones, pearls and gold plating to match the outfits inspired by La Dolce Vita and the 50s. It was also the first to include smartphones in it’s fashion shows. At the end of the catwalk for the Spring - Summer 2016 collection, the models returned to the podium with phones in their hands, taking dozens of selfies that were instantly shared on social networks. Finally, for their men’s Autumn-Winter 2017 collection, the designers invited 50 influencers to take to the catwalk with Cameron Dallas and Austin Mahone among them. It was a master stroke that provided incredible exposure and instantly revived the image of a brand, ensuring that there would always be a place for Dolce and Gabbana within the future of fashion.