Leave it to Dolce & Gabbana to bring a little flash to Fall 2013. This season, the duo's penchant for flair came in the form of Byzantine mosaic prints, religious fresco patterns, and dazzling jewel adornments — not to mention the army of models in crimson lace that closed the show.
If all that sounds a bit too expected, don't worry.
Once again, Dolce and Gabbana's Fall 2013 collection was one of pure over-the-top extravagance, celebrating the brand's rich Italian history. With models decked out in golden crowns, oversize chandelier earrings, and rosary beads, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana churned out a collection filled with ornate details. Such was the case with the intricate Monreale Cathedral church mosaics they featured — the duo enlisted the help of local artisans and experts to re-create the complex artwork — on a wide array of shimmery dresses and filigree sculpted shoes and embroidered bags. The decadence continued with beaded shift dresses featuring flared flute sleeves and a look that highlighted a gold stone-embellished bustier dedicated to Saint Agatha. However, it wasn't all about the glitz and glamour; Dolce and Gabbana provided pared-downed elegance for the everyday lady via chic tweed skirtsuits and tailored coats. The closer? A stampede of models decked out in a captivating lineup of bejeweled red lace dresses simply took our breath away. See the full collection in all its glory now.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have joined the chorus of voices backing John Galliano's return to working in the industry.
"We wish John the best of luck with his return to fashion," the two said in a post on their online magazine Swide. "We've always been admirers of his flamboyant talent. He has been missed from the fashion scene these two years and we can't wait to see the collection with Oscar de la Renta."
Just last week, de la Renta shocked the fashion community when he announced that he would welcome Galliano, who was let go from his position at Dior for making anti-Semitic comments in 2010, at his studio for a three-week residency. "Everyone in life deserves a second chance, especially someone as talented as John," de la Renta said at the time. "I think that life is about forgiving and helping people."
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If the scarf prints and bold umbrella stripes weren't enough to tip you off, surely the burlap sacks made into t-shirt dresses and printed with "Sicilia" across the chest were obvious indication that Dolce & Gabbana looked to Sicily to inspire their Spring '13 vision. In a collection that sought to capture Sicilian culture in its every piece, the inspiration that delivered the most literal results were the scarf prints, headscarves, tasseled earrings, and stripes that conjured images of the Mediterranean beaches and the striped umbrellas lining the sand (if you're plotting a getaway to the area, you now have the dresses to match your beach accessories). Of course, in large part, it's the styling here — the multicolored handbags and platforms, the scarves, and the oversize earrings — that turn the collection into more of a caricature. We suspect that if you stripped the stripes of their add-ons, you'd strip them of any over-the-top references, too. As for the scarf prints, silky peasant dresses, and high-impact minis, there's not much that can be done to temper the stuff — they call for an equally bold personality to pull them off; we suggest Anna Dello Russo.
Spring 2013 had Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce looking once again to their homeland of Sicily. But whereas last season was all romance and religion in the form of gilded embroidery and black lace, this time around the duo went cheery and bright with an ode to the island's vibrant street markets, puppet theaters, and beachy holidays in the sun. And just like any good vacation abroad, there was plenty here for the eye to take in: street-scene prints in saturated primary hues, beaded embroidery, raffia basket weave, still-life florals, tassels, and folksy appliqué. The adornments came affixed to nearly everything, from easy-wearing shifts, shorts, and t-shirt tops to more elaborate pieces like frothy dresses, basket skirts, and corsets. But the collection's real standouts were the multitude of boldly striped dresses, '50s-style shorts sets, and tunics in graphic lines of black, orange, green, or blue against crisp white. They served as a nice anchor to all the chaotic charm.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana will dip their toes into couture when they present a small, custom collection in Taormina, Sicily on July 9. Most of the show's attendees will be clients, and reportedly only three unspecified media outlets — none of them American — are on the invitation list.
If rumors are to be believed, this presentation is a test that will allow Dolce & Gabbana to determine whether adding a Couture collection to its repertoire is a good business decision. A source inside the house said the designers had been interested in the "artistic challenge" of couture for some time.
Dolce & Gabbana's rival Italian fashion houses Versace and Armani will present their own couture collections in Paris on July 1 and July 3, respectively.
Photo: The finale of Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2012 show.
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