Dolce & Gabbana

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Type	Pr, D.Gelfond
Industry	Fashion
Founded	1985
Headquarters	Milan, Italy
Products	Clothing, footwear, handbags, sunglasses, watches
Employees	3,150
Website	dolcegabbana.it

Dolce & Gabbana (Italian pronunciation: [ˌdolʧe e gabˈbaːna]) is an Italian luxury industry fashion house. The company was started by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in Milan, Italy. By 2005 their turnover was €597 million. Domenico Dolce was born on September 13, 1958 in Polizzi Generosa, Sicily. Stefano Gabbana was born on November 14, 1962 in Venice, and according to some sources in Milan, Italy (Gabbana, Stephano 2007). The two met in Milano in 1980 and worked for the same fashion house. In 1982 they established a designer consulting studio. In time it grew to become “Dolce & Gabbana”. They presented their first women’s collection in 1985 in Milan, where a year later their store would open its doors in 1986 (Dolce & Gabbana 2011).

Two years later they launched their leotard line and in 1989 started designing underwear and swimming costumes (Domenico). Dolce and Gabbana started to export their products in Japan and other countries like the U.S. where they found their own showroom in 1990 (Gabbana, Stephano 2011). The same year they showed their men’s collections. They launched their first perfume Dolce & Gabbana in 1992 (Dolce & Gabbana 2011). They won the Woolmark award in 1991 and the prize “most feminine flavor of the year” in 1993 (Dolce & Gabbana 2007). They won an Oscar for best male perfume in 1996. Towards the end of the 1990’s their sales was around 500 million dollars and in 2003 alone their revenue reached 633.2 million dollars (Gabbana, Stephano 2011).

Brands

Dolce & Gabbana has two central lines with a key distinct differences:

Dolce&Gabbana

Dolce&Gabbana (spelled without spaces, unlike the name of the company) specializes in luxury items influenced more by designers and is more formal and 'timeless', responding to long-term trends rather than seasonal changes^{[citation needed]}. It also sells sunglasses and corrective eyewear, purses, and watches. In April 2009 it launched its make-up range, unveiled at Selfridges, London by Scarlett Johansson. In February 2010, it was announced that American singer Madonna would design a collection of sunglasses titled MDG, set to be released in May of that year. It also has a set of fragrances for men and women.

D & G

D & G is a casual line that follows an urban inspiration and attempts to set trends rather than follow them. It is the younger, more flamboyant diffusion line of the brand. Unlike Dolce&Gabbana, D&G sells watches as well as clothing. D&G has been voted the UK's best luxury brand^{[citation needed]} and in July 2009 D&G signed a lucrative deal with singer Alexandra Burke which will see her model its fashion lines in her music videos and in promotions.^{[citation needed]}

Inspirations and Style

Originally inspired by eclectic, thrift shop Bohemia, Dolce & Gabbana's deeply colored, animal prints have been described as "haute hippy dom" taking inspiration in particular from Italy's prestigious film history. "When we design it's like a movie (Domenico)," says Domenico Dolce. "We think of a story and we design the clothes to go with it (Domenico)." They claim to be more concerned about creating the best, most flattering clothes than sparking trends, once admitting that they wouldn't mind if their only contribution to fashion history was a black bra (Dolce and Gabbana 2007).

D & G trademarks include underwear-as-outerwear (such as corsets and bra fastenings), gangster boss pinstripe suits, and extravagantly printed coats. Meanwhile their feminine collections are always backed by powerful ad campaigns, like the black-and-white ads, featuring model Marpessa photographed by Ferdinando Scianna in 1987 (Dolce & Gabbana). But fundamentally they are known for making women look, quite simply, sexy. "They find their way out of any black dress, any buttoned-up blouse (Domenico)," says Rossellini. "The first piece of theirs I wore was a white shirt, very chaste, but cut to make my breasts look as if they were bursting out of it (Domenico)."

Once dubbed the "Gilbert and George of Italian fashion", Dolce and Gabbana gave their fashion interests a musical turn in 1996, by recording their own single, in which they intoned the words "D&G is love" over a techno beat (Dolce & Gabbana 2011). Newer to the design game than other heavyweight Italian fashion houses such as Versace and Armani, the pair acknowledge that luck has played its part in their phenomenal success. By 1997, their company reported a turnover of 400 million, prompting both designers to announce that they planned to retire by the age of 40 - a promise they happily did not keep (Domenico).

Controversy

Advertising

Dolce & Gabbana was publicly criticized by Britain's advertising watchdog Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in January 2007, for an advertising campaign showing models brandishing knives.

Following complaints from consumers' groups in February 2007, Dolce & Gabbana pulled an advertisement in Madrid, Spain and Paris, France that showed a man holding a woman to the ground by her wrists while a group of men look on. Spain's Labour and Social Affairs Ministry branded the campaign as illegal and humiliating to women, saying the woman's body position had no relation to the products Dolce & Gabbana was trying to sell. Italian publications followed suit, banning the ad. This advertisement has been called "a glorification of gang rape" by many, and has been declared "One of the Most Controversial Advertisements in Fashion History," by Debonair Magazine.

Dolce & Gabbana made the "DG" logo an iconic symbol, but they were never able to get the matching internet address DG.com. In fact, DG.com is one of the oldest Internet domains and was already registered in 1986 by the computer company Data General, now defunct. DG.com was purchased in June 2010^{[citation needed]} by the US Variety Store chain Dollar General which uses a different DG logo to sell its products.

Alleged tax evasion

In May 2009, the Italian government charged Dolce & Gabbana with tax evasion for having moved assets for about 249 million euro to tax haven Luxembourg in the 2004-2006 period.

Discriminatory photo ban

Protests at Dolce&Gabbana follows racially discriminating 'ban'.

One of the four streets blocked during the Sunday protest.

On 5 January 2012, Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily reported that Hong Kong citizens had been prevented from taking pictures of any Dolce & Gabbana window displays in both Alexandra House, Central and Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui. In the case of Dolce & Gabbana at Harbour City, store staff and security personnel both indicated the public space on Canton Road as private property. All pedestrians who used the sidewalk were subjected to the "photo ban" set forth by Dolce & Gabbana, with the exception of tourists from mainland China being specially exempt without justification. This double standard caused immediate outrage amongst local citizens, sparking later protests spanning several days and resulting in international news coverage on 8 Jan 2012.

Dolce & Gabbana HK first sent representatives to dismiss on-site reporters, claiming the ban was to protect their intellectual property rights and prevent plagiarism of their products. Hong Kong lawyers however stated that those claims did not have any legal basis and that manipulation of public areas by Dolce & Gabbana was an infringement of public access. Current Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board Mr. James Tien also openly criticised Dolce & Gabbana, and encouraged those who have been racially discriminated against to report to the authorities. Meanwhile, Dolce & Gabbana was reported to have hired additional security personnel, one of whom was caught displaying physical aggression towards a reporter, "Don't be surprised, I will break this camera. [...] Don't take Photos, For the last time, I will break this camera" whilst covering the lens, sparking further controversy.

While Dolce & Gabbana continuously refused to comment and imposed further access restrictions, landlord Harbour City and a contract security firm quickly issued public apologies regarding the "reckless actions" of their employees. Currently, both statements indicate all assigned security personnel were following directions as per request of the Dolce & Gabbana store. Dolce & Gabbana finally released their official statement late in the evening of 8 January 2012, insisting their intention was not to offend and that the controversies were not caused by Dolce & Gabbana employees.

Ironically, just moments after Dolce & Gabbana released its statement, an employee Ms. Cheung was already caught publicly accusing Hong Kong protesters as 'immature' and 'handicapped'. The employee also allegedly insinuated the entire anti-racism protest was merely a disturbing demonstration of mob psychology, even taunting "D&G staff works together [...] so give us your best shot!" Online communities, such as the wildly popular Hong Kong Golden Forum, immediately banded together in retaliation. Within hours, personal details of the Dolce & Gabbana staff including her full name, photos, blogs, home address, business contacts, family doctors, previous employers, past bar fights and even an alleged personal account of herself participating in a threesome were uncovered, all of which were then virally passed across different online communities as a form of "internet justice". Although she quickly apologised for her controversial posts, some netizens and local news agencies continued to condemn her actions. Dolce & Gabbana refused to confirm or deny reports of Ms. Cheung's employment at the Harbour City store.

Local news agencies have also started looking into reasons behind the Dolce & Gabbanna photo 'ban'. According to an unnamed source, the 'ban' was not about protecting intellectual property at all, but to prevent wealthy mainland Chinese government officials from being photographed. Dolce & Gabbana goods are often too expensive for government officials, and photographs of their "family shopping" at such premium locations may lead to investigations by anti-corruption authorities in China.

Boutiques

U.S. stores and locations

Dolce&Gabbana store in Hong Kong Harbour City

Dolce&Gabbana store in Milan

Dolce&Gabbana store in Kobe

There are five freestanding Dolce & Gabbana boutiques in the United States in:

• New York City, New York
• Beverly Hills, California
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Bal Harbour Shops in Bal Harbour, Florida
• The Mall at Short Hills in Short Hills, New Jersey

Dolce & Gabbana also has kiosks in several department stores, including Bergdorf Goodman, Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, and plans to expand into the American cities of Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

Brazil stores

Brazil

• Sao Paulo
• Rio de Janeiro
• Jacareí
• Belo Horizonte

Latin America stores

Mexico

• Mexico City
• Cancún

Chile

• Santiago
• Viña del Mar

Argentina

• Buenos Aires
• Mar del Plata

Panama

• Panama City

Canada

Dolce and Gabbana is also sold c/o Holt Renfrew department stores at 4 locations in Canada as well as Harry Rosen (Calgary, Vancouver & Toronto – Bloor Street) and La Maison Simons.

• Montreal
• Toronto
• Vancouver
• Calgary

Asia stores

Hong Kong

The first self-owned flagship store was open on 12 June 2004 in Alexandra House, Central, Hong Kong Island.

• Central, Hong Kong Island
• Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
• Pacific Place, Queensway, Hong Kong Island

Lebanon

• Beirut

Singapore

• Singapore - Ion Orchard, Wisma Atria, Forum the Mall, Mandarin Gallery

India

• New Delhi - DLF Emporio Mall
• Mumbai

Indonesia

• Jakarta - Grand Indonesia

South Korea

• Busan
• Seoul

Japan

• Kobe
• Osaka
• Tokyo

Qatar

• Doha

China

• Shanghai
• Beijing

Taiwan

• Taipei - Taipei 101 Mall
• Kaohsiung

Macau

• Macau

Thailand

• Bangkok

Saudi Arabia

• Jeddah

Africa Stores

Algeria

• Algiers - Centre Commercial Bab Ezzouar in 2012

Australian Stores

New Zealand

• New Zealand

Although there are no dedicated stores in New Zealand the brand is becoming increasingly popular with the brand becoming more and more available through online shopping.

Australia

• Australia

Middle east

United Arab Emirates

• Abu Dhabi
• Dubai

Further Reading

• "Dolce & Gabbana." The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 29 November 2011.
• "Gabbana, Stefano." Marquis Who's Who in the World. New Providence: Marquis Who's Who LLC, 2011. Credo Reference. Web. 29 November 2011.
• "Gabbana, Stefano." The Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers. London: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Credo Reference. Web. 29 November 2011.
• "Domenico Dolce Quotes - Swide Magazine." Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana. Swide Magazine, 2 June 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.
• "Dolce & Gabbana - Biography on Bio." Bio: Shows, Video, TV Schedule and More on Bio. AETN UK. Web. 29 Nov. 2011.

External links

• Official website
• Dolce & Gabbana on Twitter
• Dolce & Gabbana designer profile at Fashion Model Directory