Dolce & Gabbana: ‘We Realised That The Fashion System Had Become Too Crazy’

Never before has the fashion industry had to pick itself up and dust itself off more than 2020. As the pandemic gradually spread across the world, and country after country entered a state of lockdown, supply chains were hit, shops were shuttered and businesses were forced to adapt. And adapt they did, whether it was manufacturing PPE, announcing a whole new approach to show season or giving their communities, who were largely stuck at home, something to do via craft projects or competitions.

At Dolce & Gabbana, this year has meant an entire rethink when it comes to the catwalk. The brand has just unveiled the first of several digital shows - this one’s called ‘Walking In The Street’ - bringing the magic of the catwalk to its customer with the added bonus that everything is available to shop immediately. We asked its founders, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, about their inspiration behind the show and what they’ve learnt in 2020.

What was the inspiration behind ‘Walking In The Street’?

Domenico Dolce: As the name of the show suggests, we took inspiration from the street, that for us is an endless source of inspiration. Locked in our houses for the second time we remembered the '90s when we used to go to New York and look at the people walking in the street; the way they dressed, the accessories they used to carry. So we imagined how the life of a girl could be nowadays in the streets of NY, London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Beijing and also Rome and Milan…

Stefano Gabbana: We thought of a woman who, although obliged to wear a mask, can go around in the city. So we created this collection, that is relaxed in mood, with a lot of sneakers, bags, blazers and denim. We wanted to have something that could mirror the current times, but with a strong DG touch.

This year has forced the fashion industry to slow down. What do you miss about the way things used to be? And what don’t you miss?

SG: This is a good question! It is weird because from one side we miss so many things of the pre-Covid era: the contact with the people, seeing our collaborators in the office and simply shaking hands in the street, this is the good in life, how do we go on without it? On the other side we realised that the fashion system had become too crazy: so many shows, collections, events…It was not sustainable anymore. We believe that the best thing is to do less but better.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned this year?

DD: We learnt that nothing must be taken for granted because things can change from one day to the other; and then once again we reinvented ourselves, we worked a lot on digital and this project is one of the examples. It is a completely new path for DG; now you can watch the show, the looks, the accessories and then go directly to buy them on the website or in the boutiques; you don’t have to wait six months to have them.

How has the pandemic affected your approach to clothes?

SG: Our approach has never changed, we work in the same way, taking inspiration from what is around us. But we are super careful about the reality and that is why this collection is more casual and relaxed. You can find so many sneakers, bags, denim, T-shirts, blazers, all very different from one other, but extremely detailed in the proportions, in the shapes and in the decorations. Nothing is left to chance.

What do you think your customer wants from her clothes right now?

DD&SG: What they have always wanted: quality, beauty, a dream, but with a slightly more relaxed feel this time.