In October designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce got the good news that their conviction for tax evasion had been overturned by Italy’s highest court; a happy ending to an almost decade long struggle to clear their names.
As always when the chips are down, people turn to those closest to them, their family. And with their fall/winter 2015 menswear show the designer duo honored their families that have always stood by them with a collection that underlined the point that blood is definitely thicker than fashion.
With members of their extended family and friends making up a “family portrait” tableau at the end of their catwalk, including an impressive number of well-behaved babies and toddlers, the duo presented a collection filled with sentiment as well as style.
Beside the expected beautifully tailored suits – this time in lace, velvet or brushed wool – and the luxe pony hair coats in shades of burgundy or green, came designs with more personal connotations. Tops were printed with black and white family photos (#DGfamily hashtag stamped on the back of the collars). Jackets came embellished with gilded crowns and bees (a family crest perhaps?), while tops became walking statements of love with three-dimensional messages such as “Amore per Sempre” and “Ti Volgio Tanto Bene” embroidered into the fabric.
This time instead of picking a place (usually Sicily) as a starting point, the designers dug down deep and found their families to be a wealth of inspiration for this rather endearing collection. And isn’t it nice to know that your family has always got your back, even if sometimes it’s just as a photo print on a silk top.
