Dolce&Gabbana: «GenD for our Home»

They will come to Italy from all over the world. There are ten of them and they are young. For the Dolce&Gabbana Casa division, born in 2021 and developed with Llg-Luxury living group, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have set up GenD, a special project that will involve a pool of up-and-coming creatives to interpret an aspect of the maison’s interior collection at the end of the year. Antonio Aricò, Malacou Lefebvre, Ahryun Lee, Rio Kobayashi, Chris Wolston, Sara Ricciardi, the duo Sayar&Garibeh, Lucia Massari and Bradley L Bowers are the talents who, from Korea to France, from the Middle East to the US, will bring new life to a furniture line that is writing its most innovative chapter and that, during Milan design week, renewed its first collection, sharply defined by its four thematic prints: animalier with Zebra and Leo, Sicilian Carretto and Blu Mediterraneo, now enriched with new furnishings such as novel lamps, art de la table with glasses made in Murano and ceramics, as well as home textiles and loungewear.

Last May also saw the opening of a new showroom in Corso Venezia, dedicated entirely to Dolce&Gabbana Casa, as well as a monobrand space of licensee LLG. Now three boutiques are opening in summer locations such as Capri, Cannes and Puerto Banus. «We did something very recognizable. Our house is yin and yang, like us», the two designers explained in this interview.

It is an important moment for the Dolce&Gabbana Casa project, as the brand is facing the Salone del Mobile week, design from around the world and a crucial event for Milan. How are you experiencing it?
We are excited and enthusiastic at the same time. Salone del Mobile is giving us the opportunity to present our project to an international and knowledgeable audience. Moreover, we are really pleased to see Milan in turmoil. Ours is a city that makes frenzy and vitality its strong points and is an important showcase to the world for Made in Italy style, design and creativity. We are confident that Milan, with the energy that makes it unique today more than ever, will flourish in creativity, talent, desire to live and grow.

The collection was enriched by new lamps. Do your goals include enhancing the furnishing accessories?
Absolutely, accessories are an integral part of our project, but we love dreaming big. There is everything in this collection, from bed covers to glasses for the table. We have been collaborating with Italian excellences, such as Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, Barbini and Salviati, glassmakers in Murano, and we realize, every day, how lucky we are because, in Italy, we can do what we want.

This collection renewed the four iconic prints presented in Venice, promoting an aesthetic continuity. Which other patterns would you like to explore in the future?
Print is part of our DNA and we tried to do something very recognizable even for our Home Collection. The Blu Mediterraneo line, for example, has the colors of the sea, of Capri or Positano. The Carretto one is multicolored, like the humor of people. Each theme represents an emotion, be it joy or sensuality. They are yin and yang, they are Dolce&Gabbana. Our work is like a diamond, with many faces because we work in different fields. The important thing is to give each project the identity of our brand. This is the approach that has always distinguished our work.

You are opening three boutiques in as many luxury tourist destinations. Why did you choose these locations and what lifestyle message do you want to convey?
We chose Cannes, Capri and Puerto Banus to give continuity to the recent openings in Milan. The boutiques convey the spirit of the collections inhabiting them. According to us, home means happiness, family and shared love. It is a personal statement of those who live it, and we want our customers to breathe this atmosphere.

Your values and mission have always included the enhancement of Made in Italy, of the artistic and cultural heritage as well as opening to young people. Now with the Home sector, how are you involving the new generations in a dialogue with your creativity?
Exactly, in fashion we have always supported the talent of so many young creatives, think of the Project Spiga 2 in 2010 or, more recently, of those in collaboration with Miss Sohee or 022397 Bluff. We are going to follow the same path in design, because it is important for us to share a part of our dream with the new generations. It enriches our path. At the end of 2022 we will present a project involving ten international emerging designers and artists, each interpreting an aspect of the Home Collection with their own flair. It will be a very dynamic and stimulating project. (All rights reserved)