Background of Dolce & Gabbana

Established: by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, 1982.

Dolce born in Palermo, Italy, 13 August 1958; Gabbana born in Venice, Italy, 14 November 1962. Both designed in Milan, 1980-82.

Dolce, the son of a Sicilian tailor, had attended fashion school briefly, while Gabbana, the son of a Milanese factory worker, had trained as a graphic designer. Combining Dolce's tailoring chops with Gabbana's eye for outré styling, the men teamed up (in both personal and professional lives), debuting their first collection to critical acclaim in 1986.


Company History:
First major women's collection, 1985;
knitwear collection first shown, 1987;
opened showrooms in Milan, 1987, and New York, 1990;
introduced lingerie and beachwear, 1989;
Dolce & Gabbana Monogriffe shops opened in Tokyo, 1989, Milan, 1990, Hong Kong, 1991, and Milan shop for menswear, 1991;
menswear collection first showing, 1990;
launched signature fragrance line, 1992;
introduced lower-priced D&G line, 1993;
consultants to Genny for Complice line, 1990;
opened Dolce & Gabbana and D&G stores in New York, 1997;
signed licensing deal with Onward Kashiyama to distribute designs in Japan, 1998;
opened Dolce and Gabbana nightclub, Postgarage, in Legnano, Italy, 1998;
company assumed ownership stakes in two licensees, Dolce Saverio and Marcolin, 1999;
split signature line into White Label and Black Label, 1999;
launched complementary male and female fragrances, 1999;
opened West Coast flagship store in Beverly Hills, California, 2000;
launched Light Blue fragrance, 2001.

Awards: Woolmark award, 1991.

Company Address: Via Santa Cecilia, 7, 20122 Milan, Italy.

Inspiration: Loved by fashion magazines and film stars alike, the partnership of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana revives the Southern Italian sex bomb look, inspired by the films of Roberto Rossellini, Luchino Visconti, and Federico Fellini the pair grew up on, coupled with an adoration of the strongly romantic Mediterranean ideals of Sicily.

Their use of film imagery and obvious love of the fiery beauty of stars like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida has imbued their advertising with an unforgettably glamorous style of its own. They combine supermodels with screen stars to create images that ooze an earthy sexuality.

Dolce & Gabbana has continued, as throughout its history, to be influenced by Hollywood and to spread the word about its line by outfitting Hollywood celebrities.In some cases, Dolce & Gabbana designs for musicians and actors influence their direction in subsequent collections, when they incorporate some of the pieces and themes from music tours with which they have been involved.

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Culture :

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean and is a mere butterfly kiss from the tip of Italy's boot.
It is a true Mediterranean melting pot that mixes Italian, Greek, French, Spanish, African and Arabic flavors to create a tantalizing world of whimsical architecture, gracious locals and some of the best food on Earth.
Sicily offers the best luxury vacation in Italy without the crowds and trampled paths of northern powerhouses like Tuscany or Rome.