Dolce&Gabbana opens the door to its couture ateliers

There are opulent mood-boards adorned with three-dimensional decorations made of flowers, lace, and embroidery, as well as precious fabrics and lavish decorations. Clothes are either finished or in the making. However, above all, there is a team of young tailors who are eager to showcase their talent in transforming fabric into dreamy clothes to the public. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana opened the doors to their Dolce&Gabbana haute couture atelier for the first time with an intimate fashion show featuring some 60 looks, which was captured in a documentary directed by Karim Sadli and released today on the Maison’s social media channels. The designers led their clients and a small number of guests on a journey of discovery from the head office on Viale Piave in Milan to Via Kramer. It is an unprecedented journey, more intimate than those that the creative duo has typically shared with their audience, and that starts right where it all began. A sort of prelude to the upcoming 40th anniversary of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s creative partnership, which will be celebrated in 2024.

«This is the first time that we open our ateliers to our customers to showcase our haute couture world and explain the process behind our creations» the two designers told MFF. They proudly present the atelier’s most valuable asset: nearly 150 tailors, many of whom are very young, who continue to work alongside the catwalk while models parade and who get emotional at the end of the show, overwhelmed by the public’s enthusiasm. «The guys have everything at their disposal with no budget or constraints because creativity cannot be limited. They are all self-taught and have never attended school» Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana proudly commented. When asked how the luxury industry can address the chronic shortage of workers, they explained that «there is no shortage of tailors, but of principals. You have to trust people. We want to focus on boosting Italian talent».

To honor the value of Italian handmade and elegance, the two designers decided to develop the entire collection, named Eleganza Italiana, in total black as a symbol of purity and uniqueness. On the jazz notes of a live orchestra, the models paraded winking at the audience as if in an old-fashioned atelier, holding tightly the number of each look in their hands. They wear super-linear clothes embellished with mysterious capes, and their faces are hidden behind a veil. Black slingbacks are developed in various heights to follow the mannequins’ sinuous walk. Fitted jackets emphasize the torso while pleated, shimmering skirts explode.

Simple dresses with seductive lacing reveal the models’ backs. Precious tuxedos are embellished with iridescent reflections of velvet, while corsets are adorned with polka dot patterns. Gleaming haute jewels, with red carpet necklaces and royal brooches, break through the black and lead to a finale where feather-rimmed petticoats and gigantic tulle skirts supported by crinolines create the true image of haute couture. Female costumers are ready to place their orders to secure the desired item, while their husbands wait for them in a gentlemen’s club set up by the fashion house in the haute couture headquarters on Corso Venezia. This is another way to tell a piece of the Italian dream.

Judgment. Supporters of Italian beauty, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana chose their Milan headquarters’ ateliers to return to the brand’s origins and prepare for the grand celebrations of their 40th year of creative partnership. The two designers pay homage to young people, know-how and Made in Italy to convey an image of the country’s tradition and culture worldwide. (All rights reserved)