Jump to content

Domenico Dolce

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Domenico Dolce
Dolce in 2016
Born (1958-08-13) 13 August 1958 (age 66)[1]
Polizzi Generosa, Sicily, Italy
OccupationFashion designer
Known forDolce & Gabbana
PartnerStefano Gabbana (1982–2003)

Domenico Mario Assunto Dolce[2] (Italian: [doˈmeːniko ˈdoltʃe]; born 13 August 1958) is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur who co-founded the luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana (D&G). Since the establishment of D&G in 1985, Dolce has gained recognition as a prominent fashion designer and an influential figure in the fashion industry.[3]

Early life and education

[edit]

Dolce was born in Polizzi Generosa, in the province of Palermo, Sicily in 1958.[2][1] He grew up with his father, Saverio, who ran a tailor's shop that he later converted into a furniture factory and his mother, Rosaria, who had a keen business sense.[2] Dolce's interest in fashion started because of his father’s frequent travels to Milan where he sourced fabrics and brought back fashion magazines.[2]

Initially, Domenico studied architecture in Palermo but was drawn towards Milan's fashion schools.[2] With support from his father, he eventually enrolled at the Instituto Marangoni in Milan, although he left before completing his degree, feeling confident in his abilities to work in the industry.[2] HHis ambition at that time was to be employed by Armani.[4]

Career

[edit]
Main article: Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana store in Kobe, Japan

Dolce began his career and gained practical experience helping in his family's businesses.[5] In 1980, he met Stefano Gabbana. At the time, they were both working for designer Giorgio Correggiari.[5] By 1982, Dolce and Gabbana founded a fashion consulting studio and two years later, they launched Dolce & Gabbana S.p.A. (D&G).[5][3]

Dolce serves as the tailor within the partnership, responsible for drafting designs and developing prototypes. He takes an active role in ensuring the quality of each garment through a thorough fitting process.[4] Additionally, it was Dolce's idea to engage photographer Ferdinando Scianna, a decision that enhanced D&G's brand presence among the Italian audience.[4]

D&G's initial women’s collection was presented in Milan in 1985. This collection featured handcrafted designs with intricate fastening systems and drew inspiration from Italian actresses such as Sophia Loren and Anna Magnani.[5] In March 1986, D&G presented its inaugural collection and organized its own show, titled "Real Women."[6] The first D&G store opened in Milan at 7 Via Santa Cecilia in 1987.[6] In 1988, D&G formed a partnership with Dolce's father, Saverio, who owned the manufacturing company Dolce Saverio in Legnano, near Milan.[7]

D&G continued to expand; they partnered with the Kashiyama group, establishing their first boutique in Tokyo, Japan in 1989 and introducing a men's collection in 1991.[5] In November 1990, D&G inaugurated its New York City showroom at 532 Broadway in SoHo, Manhattan. The brand released its first fragrance, Dolce & Gabbana Parfum, in October 1992.[7]

In 1993, Dolce & Gabbana gained worldwide recognition when Madonna chose them to design the costumes for her Girlie Show World Tour.[3] TThey have since created designs for notable personalities such as Monica Bellucci, Kylie Minogue, Angelina Jolie and Isabella Rossellini.[8] From 1995-2004, Marcolin allowed Dolce & Gabbana to produce and distribute its eyewear and sunglasses.[9][10]

Further additions to the D&G line included ties, belts, handbags, sunglasses, watches, and footwear. By 2003, the company had overtaken Armani, Gucci, Prada, and Versace in the domestic market in Italy. In 2009, approximately 25 years after D&G's establishment, the company operated 113 stores and 21 factory outlets, employing a staff of 3,500 individuals and achieving an annual turnover exceeding €1 billion.[11]

Beginning in 2023, Dolce & Gabbana ventured into the real estate business, announcing two residential projects, one in Miami, USA and another in Marabella, Spain. They are also planning to build a hotel in Maldives.[12][13] In June of that year, the brand announced a collaboration with Havaianas to create a sandal collection featuring signature prints like zebra, leopard, majolica-glazed pottery, and Sicilian cart patterns, crafted in a luxurious printed velvet finish.[14]

Personal life

[edit]

Dolce and Gabbana publicly disclosed their relationship in 1999.[15][16] They resided in a villa in Milan and owned multiple properties on the French Riviera, as well as a villa in Portofino.[5][17] While their romantic relationship ended in 2004, they maintain a professional collaboration at D&G.[18]

As of April 2024, Dolce has a net worth of approximately US$2.1 billion, according to Forbes.[3]

Philanthropy

[edit]

In 2016, Dolce & Gabbana contributed to the Dynamo Camp 2016 charity event, which aims to assist in the treatment and care of children with chronic and terminal diseases.[19] As part of their involvement, they created a special doll that was sold at an auction to raise funds for the event. Previously, they produced mini versions of their popular designs for a UNICEF charity project.[19]

In 2020, Dolce & Gabbana launched the #Fattoincasa initiative, a series of online workshops designed to encourage individuals and families to engage in creative projects at home during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The initiative also aimed to raise funds for COVID-19 research, in addition to personal contribution from the two designers.[20] Dolce & Gabbana provided financial support for a study coordinated by Prof. Alberto Mantovani, Scientific Director of Humanitas and Emeritus Professor of Humanitas University which aims to form the basis for developing diagnostic tools, such as biomarkers of the severity of the pathology, and therapeutic tools to help battle the strain of coronavirus.[21][22]

Later in the same year, Dolce and Gabbana launched another campaign, the Devotion bag, with a portion of the proceeds dedicated to funding the second phase of research at Humanitas University. The research focused on vaccine development in the fight against COVID-19.[23]

Controversies

[edit]

In 2013, both Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to a 20-month suspended sentence in prison. An Italian court found the pair guilty of failing to declare millions of euros of revenue earned through a D&G subsidiary company, Gado, based in Luxembourg. They denied the charges and appealed the case; in October 2014, they were both cleared of wrongdoing by the appellate court.[24]

In March 2015, Dolce's comments about in vitro fertilization (IVF) sparked a social media storm of criticism.[25] In an interview with Panorama magazine, Dolce said, "I am gay. I cannot have a child. I believe you cannot have everything in life.... You are born from a father and a mother. Or at least that is how it should be. For this reason I am not convinced by what I call children of chemistry, or synthetic children. Uteruses for rent, sperm chosen from a catalogue." British singer-songwriter Elton John, who has children by IVF with his husband David Furnish, called for a boycott of the D&G brand. This sparked a war of words, with Gabbana later calling John a "fascist" and calling for a counter-boycott.[15] He ended up apologizing for his remark.[26]

Honours

[edit]

Dolce and Gabbana have received numerous honors in recognition of their contributions to the fashion and cultural spheres.[5] Their initial fashion accolade came in 1991 when they were awarded the International Woolmark Prize. In 1993, their fragrance, Dolce & Gabbana Parfum, was named the Best Fragrance of the Year.[5]

In 2009, the City of Milan presented them with the Ambrogino Gold medal. However, in 2014, they announced their intention to return the medal after a city council member accused them of being tax evaders.[27]

The La Fondazione NY, a charity focused on supporting young Italian and American artists, honored Dolce, Gabbana, and film director Baz Luhrmann at its third awards gala at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City in 2014.[28]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Dolce & Gabbana Biography". The Biography Channel. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Baptized as Domenico Maria Assunta Dolce; see "Sopravvivere con focacce e latte". Sette-Corriere della Sera.
  3. ^ a b c d "Domenico Dolce". Forbes. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Hands and Eyes". The New Yorker. 6 March 2005. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Dolce & Gabbana Biography". The Biography Channel. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b Maisey, Sarah. "Exclusive: interview with Dolce and Gabbana at the launch of their flagship store in Dubai". The National. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  7. ^ a b "D&G Corporate History: Main stages". Dolce & Gabbana. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Who is Dolce & Gabbana". Dolce & Gabbana. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Italian Fashion Brands: Dolce & Gabbana | Made-In-Italy.com". Made In Italy. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Dolce & Gabbana Leaves Marcolin For Luxottica". Eyewear Intelligence. 21 October 2004. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  11. ^ "Dolce & Gabbana" (in Italian). Dizionario di Economia e Finanza (2012). Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Dolce & Gabbana plans U.S., Spain and Maldives real estate projects". Reuters. 3 April 2023. Archived from the original on 29 April 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  13. ^ Muret, Dominique (3 April 2023). "Dolce & Gabbana enters the real estate sector". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  14. ^ Hawkins, Laura (11 June 2024). "The Favourite Flip-Flop Of Fashion Insiders Just Got A La Dolce Vita Inspired Glow-Up". British Vogue. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b Jacob Bernstein (18 March 2015). "Dolce & Gabbana Comments Trigger Public Outrage ... and Uncomfortable Silence". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  16. ^ "la Repubblica/politica: L'Outing di Dolce e Gabbana 'Fate come no, dichiaratelo'". www.repubblica.it. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  17. ^ Luckel, Madeleine (25 September 2016). "Inside Dolce and Gabbana's Portofino Villa". Vogue. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  18. ^ "'Once we're dead, we're dead': Dolce and Gabbana say label will die with them". The Guardian. 6 April 2018. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Dolce & Gabbana Create Exclusive Doll for Charity". Pursuitist. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  20. ^ Bobb, Brooke (6 May 2020). "Dolce & Gabbana Launch Digital Workshops to Promote Creativity at Home and Help Find a Cure for COVID-19". Vogue. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  21. ^ DeAcetis, Joseph. "Coronavirus: Dolce And Gabbana And Humanitas Work Together For Research". Forbes. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  22. ^ "Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce are supporting the fight against coronavirus". British GQ. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  23. ^ Deeny, Godfrey (27 April 2020). "Dolce & Gabbana intends to donate proceeds of Devotion bag modeled by Sofia Vergara for Covid-19 research". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  24. ^ "Dolce & Gabbana cleared in Italian tax-evasion case". BBC News. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  25. ^ Anna Coren; Madison Park (18 March 2015). "CNN Exclusive: Dolce & Gabbana: We don't judge on IVF". CNN. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  26. ^ Ferrier, Morwenna (17 August 2015). "Domenico Dolce apologises for remarks about IVF and gay families". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  27. ^ "Dolce & Gabbana to return Milan award after tax dispute". ANSA. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  28. ^ Valeria Robecco (11 December 2014). "Dolce and Gabbana honoured by La Fondazione NY". ANSA. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Domenico_Dolce&oldid=1268554329"