All you need to know when buying Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana are two words that have become synonymous with style, innovation, and ingenuity over the last three decades. Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana founded the company in 1985, starting with women’s clothing, then later expanding to include a men’s collection in 1992. Dolce & Gabbana have become a household name remarkably quickly, creating very diverse collections in a relatively short time frame. With so much choice, it can be hard to know where to look, so here are some essential things you need to know when buying Dolce & Gabbana.

Who are the designers? Stefano Gabbana, though born in Milan, heralds from Veneto, and worked for Giorgio Correggiari after graduating from the Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche. It was whilst working for Correggiari that he met Domenico Dolce, a Sicilian designer. However, it is Dolce’s Sicilian roots that have truly permeated their co-founded brand. Some of the most recognisable pieces from collections over the years have been inspired by Dolce’s heritage: the Sicilian dress (included in a collection for which the photoshoot happened in Sicily), a perfume named after the island, some jewellery inspired by Sicilian folklore, and much more. This respect and inclusion of Italian culture is considered focal by the two designers, and as such it is important to be aware of it when appreciating their designs.

What is the ‘look’? Though styles and designs are ever-evolving, there are nonetheless over-arching threads that link the collections together over the years. This kind of coherent, fluid development is what elevates a brand to being one of the best in the world. For Dolce & Gabbana, their bold, colourful, innovative approach to clothes is what sets them apart from others in the industry. Yet, there is method to the madness. Though at first some Dolce & Gabbana pieces may seem to have a mind of their own, looking closer there is evidence is the minute details that every stitch on every item is meticulously considered. After all, on a plain black suit, it is the piping that makes it unique. Paired with beautiful craftsmanship, the bright, sometimes wacky, creations remain classy, quirky, and never gaudy.

What should I consider when buying? Dolce & Gabbana create an enormous range of products, from clothes to accessories to perfumes, to mention but a few. However, when buying their products, it would be a crime not to own at least one item of clothing from the brand. Clothes are where it started for the two Italian designers, and though they have expanded beyond imagination throughout the years, clothes have remained at the core of their creativity.