Cheeky, pious, frivolous: Stefano Gabbana turns 60

Can you tailor with four hands? Since Dolce & Gabbana

Entered the big fashion stage in the mid-1980s, is the

Answer: Yes. The Milanese Stefano Gabbana and the Sicilian

Domenico Dolce together raised the Mediterranean sensuality

a global ideal of beauty. With collections that are at the same time cheeky,

frivolous and pious, they became the most successful designer duo in the world

Story. But in the end they traded again and again

boycott calls.

A fashion designer cliché come true

Stefano Gabbana was born on November 14, 1962 in Milan and

grew up in humble circumstances. His father worked in a

Printing, the mother as a porter and cleaning lady. It sounds like now

a fashion designer cliché, but is actually true in his case:

As a child, he had an affinity for dolls and desperately wanted a Barbie.

What has failed for a long time due to the resistance of the parents will finally come about

fulfilled with their own pocket money.

The childhood of Domenico, four years his senior, is even clearer

Dolce towards a future fashion career. His father was a tailor in

Polizzi Generosa in Sicily. In the parental clothing company

Domenico Dolce learned to sew at an early age, made miniature dresses and

at the age of six, or so he claims, too

the first piece of clothing for yourself.

As a young man, like so many southern Italians, Dolce set out to

to find happiness in Milan. In the early 80s he learned

Stefano Gabbana in the atelier of a fashion designer. Gabbana was

Actually a graphic artist, but had no desire for advertising and

was looking for new professional perspectives.

Partner beyond the private relationship

The two men became lovers and founders of one of the bis

today’s most important fashion labels in the world. The “&” between theirs

Surnames also endured when they ended their private relationship in 2005

finished.

It would have been all over after the first collection

could be. Your producer had dropped out. “We had to come back

start from zero. But all the doors we knocked on stayed

locked. I thought, okay, born and died in just one

night”, recalls Stefano Gabbana in an interview with the

Italian daily newspaper “Corriere della Sera” at the beginning.

It’s a good thing that you can rely on your family in Italy. still

better if they work in the same industry anyway. Domenico


Dolce’s parents took over the production of the clothing with their clothing company

Collection. Key positions are still with today

occupied by family members. So is Alfonso Dolce, the brother of

Designers, CEO of the company. In addition, they have resisted until now

to sell even the smallest company shares with every offer.

Style role models: Sophia

Loren, Gina Lollobrigida and Anna Magnani

They took a beating on the androgynous business look of the 80s

maternal, sensual type of woman. “Breasts, waist and bottom –

that’s what interests me in a woman,” Stefano became

Gabbana once quoted by Marie Claire magazine. Sophia

Loren, Gina Lollobrigida and Anna Magnani are the role models of the

Designer duos, Sicily and the family, the living environment for their

Drafts.

In her fashion, strict formality meets exuberant imagination. Of the

pinstripe suit and bustiers worn as outerwear,

Corsages and bras become her first trademarks. as madonna,

at that time the measure of all things in show business, in the early 90s

years of Dolce & Gabbana, the flight of fancy is the

both unstoppable. The business is thriving with sales beyond the

billion mark. But in recent years, the

designers to ruin their reputations.

calls for a boycott and shitstorms

There were several calls for a boycott and shitstorms on the Internet. 2015, as

in an interview with the Italian magazine “Panorama”

against artificial insemination and surrogacy

had. Especially the gay community, led by Elton

John, on the other hand, was up in arms. 2017 because Stefano Gabbana on his

Instagram account proudly features a picture of Melania Trump in one

Dolce & Gabbana dress posted.

And finally, in 2018, the absolute meltdown. In front of one in Shanghai

planned mega event, the designers launched advertising videos that a

Chinese model trying out pasta and pizza with chopsticks

to eat. What was probably meant as irony came across as racism. In

China one was so angry that the designers not only do the show

cancel, but had to make a public apology.

D&G and the new queen of curves

Forget everything and forgive? Well, the most recent show in late September in

Milan was a big spectacle again. Dedicated Kim Kardashian,

the current queen of curves. Some say the designers

wanted to polish up their image with glitz and glamor. For the others

they just came back to themselves. (dpa)

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