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Vivienne Tang

An insider's guide to your  favourite fashion brands

Who started it?

Domenico Dolce was born in Palermo in  1958.  He studied fashion and learnt the trade  at  his parents' clothing factory.

Stefano Gabbana  pursued a different career path. Born in Milan in  1962, he studied graphic design. He then worked for  various advertising agencies   before moving to atelier  in 1980,  when he met Dolce.   In October 1985 they released their first women's collection under the Dolce & Gabbana label. Their earliest designs were practically home-made,  comprising unstructured clothing with complicated fastening systems.

In 1987, they showed a collection inspired by 1940s and 50s Italian cinema,  a theme that would dominate their  collections.  The clothes were romantic, with voluptuous silhouettes, including full skirts, ruffled blouses, little black dresses  and religious  motifs such as rosary beads.

Dolce & Gabbana has been described as sexy and sensual. They're known for designing clothes for so-called real women with curves.

In 1990, they presented their first men's collection and opened their first women's boutique, in Milan. The men's collection mixes sexiness with traditional Italian details,  with staples  such as white singlets and pin-striped suits  in bright colours.

The  empire has expanded to include scarves, ties, beachwear, homewares, perfume and accessories. In 1994, they established diffusion line D&G, aimed at a younger generation, in style and price, and featuring logo T-shirts and casual wear.  The next year, they launched men's and women's eyewear. Time-pieces and D&G underwear followed in  2000, and Dolce & Gabbana Junior  in 2001.

The pair have won many awards over the years, for their fragrances and designs. They have also released two  singles and published numerous books, including  Dolce & Gabbana Wildness (animal print editorial images), Hollywood (featuring celebrities wearing Dolce & Gabbana), Calcio (soccer players)  and 20 Years of Dolce & Gabbana.

In 2004, the duo signed a  deal with soccer club A.C. Milan to create the team's uniforms.

The look?

The autumn/winter women's collection  mixes  masculine and feminine  elements and includes military-inspired velvet Napoleon coats, jackets and capes  adorned with antique gold and  saddlery hardware.  The men's collection is  formal with velvet suits in grey and earth tones.

Who wears it?

Madonna, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Isabella Rossellini, Demi Moore.

Defining fashion moment?

In 1993, Madonna chose the pair to design 1,500 costumes for  her world tour, the Girlie Show.    Thus began the couple's  collaboration with the music  and film industries.

Fun fact?

In 2004, D&G joined Citroen to create limited-edition  C3s and C3 Pluriels. The cars were outfitted with Swarovski D&G logos, silver leather interiors and D&G branded hubcaps. They've  also worked with Motorola on a range of gold mobile phones.

Where?

Dolce & Gabbana items are available at selected department  stores and at  their free-standing store in Alexandra House,  Central, tel: 2877 5558.



Dolce & Gabbana