Dolce & Gabbana isn’t a regular brand, it’s a cool brand that lives in the moment. And like most cool brands they are not afraid to embrace the celebrity brood, tapping influencers of the Millennial variety, using them to reach out even further to their consumers.
Clients no longer buy a dress, but they buy into an experience, and the brand is well aware, tackling it in every way, both working with a younger generation of influencers, and creating a lifestyle with their collection. Choosing the Italian Tropic as their inspiration, an area that does not formally exist but it is an imaginary line that marks the territory which stretches from Naples to include Sicily, Dolce & Gabbana have shaped an identity for the collection, rather than pieces that are influenced by seasonal rules or codes.
The collection features all the symbols that are part of our daily life but that also belong to the Italian Tropic, food, religion, colours, flowers, family, ice creams, and pizza, all of which are often linked to the common imaginary of Italy. There are embroidered ‘hotel’ slippers, folkloristic crowns, LED shoes, pizza heels, drum bags, and pyjamas with ice cream prints, all created with a splash of irony. There are also classic pieces which have been reinvented, such as lace tailleurs jackets which are placed on top of the D&G logo t-shirts which are looking to be the sell-out favourites.
Here we sit down with the design duo, to learn about their playful, sensual Italian aesthetic, how the Millennials are making an impact on the future of the brand, and what are expected to be the cult pieces from their Tropico Italiano Spring Summer collection.
Tell us about the Millennials and the involvement they have in the brand?
We try to follow the evolution of the world and the fashion industry, and what is making an influence, because fashions are not just fashion alone, they reflect the way in which the world is moving. Today, with the new power of the iPhone and social media, the world of communication has completely changed, and this is an area that we should capitalise on. About five or six years ago, we made the decision to start hosting bloggers at our fashion shows, because they provided another point of view and another story, and we are surprised about how in the last year this generation has dominated. By working with Millennials, it allows us to understand how they talk to the world and discover how the world of fashion for the younger generation has evolved, as they are incredibly educated in this realm, and are all smart, intelligent, young individuals.
How do you choose your millennials?
I just know, because they are famous, or I speak to friends and they recommend. It isn’t about how many followers they have, we take that into account, together with their influence and style. A combination, it is about the quality of their followers and their interaction with them. It is all about what is best for the brand, the balance about the fashion, image and what you want to convey to the people. So, we also have different people with a different point of view for each different country.
Is it all about attracting a younger crowd of customers?
Yes, this certainly is a factor, especially because a new energy from a younger generation is refreshing for the brand. The Millennials are able to talk directly with the audience, whereas we have a filter, so they really do communicate directly with the customer.
How do you feel these influencers have changed the future of the fashion industry?
We like to live in the moment and concentrate on that, and the changes they have made now which we are already embracing, as you can never predict what will happen in the future.
What is it about the Mediterranean that inspires you?
The Mediterranean is a big inspiration for us because it is a strategic part of the world. Sisley is in the middle, so in the past if you wanted to take control of the Mediterranean then Sisley is a strategic point. It is so full of history, life, and memories, which is a great inspiration to us.
Tell us about the story behind Tropico Italiano?
We don’t have any Tropic in Italy, but we would love to, so we invented it in this collection. This part of Italy from Naples to Sisley is the tropical destination of the country, because people travel from outside to take a holiday, making it our Tropic. We have then taken all of our Italian traditions, and mixed them up to use in a fun way, such as the dancing, the pizza and pasta, the flowers and dancing.
You chose not to adhere to the seasonal rules for this collection, why was that?
The actual pieces in the collection are not the most important part, that is the style and mood. We always say that if you want to buy Dolce & Gabbana you can buy into the brand, but if you want to be Dolce & Gabbana then you can find pieces in a flea market that will give you the look of a Dolce woman, without the cost. What we design is the spirit that is at the heart of every collection.
Tell us about the light up accessories?
Italiano makes you think of lights, pizzerias, enjoyment, and restaurants, and all of these places are full of fun and excitement. They are glittering and sparkling, which is reflected through the light up accessories.
What do you predict will be sell-out items from the Tropico Italiano collection?
The pasta print or the real fake t-shirts, everyone will want to buy one of them.
By Eliza Scarborough
Meet the 15 Celebrity Millennials in the Front Row at Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring Show
The Dolce & Gabbana Millennials took to Milan to sit front row for the debut of the Tropico Italiano Spring Summer women’s 2017 collection. Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana put a fresh spin on the standard star-studded front row, filling it instead with a throng of cool teens and 20-somethings, the new generation of influencers. Among these were celebrity offspring, rising stars, fashion darlings and digitally-inclined influencers. It was an It crowd if ever there was one, and not a single person over the age of 30.
1. Thylane Blondeau
966k Instagram Followers
The French 15-year-old model began her career as a child model, sparking controversy due to sexualisation of children in advertising and the media, with her appearance in the Vogue Paris supplement, Vogue Enfants.
2. Dylan Jagger Lee
82.5k Instagram Followers
The 19-year-old son of Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson is just one of the celebrity children taking over modelling these days. His first fashion editorial was published in Nylon’s May 2016 issue.
3. Brandon Thomas Lee
54.7k Instagram Followers
Brother to Dylan, 20-year-old is another working model. He was also seated front row at Dolce & Gabbana’s men’s show in Milan earlier in the year.
4. Sonia Ben Ammar
273k Instagram Followers
A 17-year-old French model, actress, singer and Brooklyn Beckham’s ex-girlfriend. She also went on to star in the campaign for this collection.
5. Isabel Getty
1700 Instagram Followers
With a last name like Getty, it’s clear that this 22-year-old heiress isn’t your average NYU student. Her Instagram boasts envious trips around the globe and major #tbts, like one of her mum, Pia Getty, posing with Andy Warhol.
6. Talita von Furstenberg
79.3k Instagram Followers
The 17-year-old granddaughter of Diane von Furstenberg, and cousin to Getty, is also a model. This socialite already has had editorials in Teen Vogue and Tatler.
7. Rafferty Law
25.2k Instagram Followers
The 19-year-old son of Jude Law and Sadie Frost is another model and walked Dolce & Gabbana’s men’s show in Milan. He is also a budding musician.
8. Zara Larsson
2.5m Instagram Followers
The 18-year-old Swedish singer and songwriter was recently nominated for ‘Best New Artist’ at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. She has also been having an entertaining feud with Chris Brown on Twitter.
9. Luka Sabbat
346k Instagram Followers
The New York Times dubbed Sabbat an ‘18-year-old fashion influencer’. The native New Yorker modelled in Kanye’s first Yeezy presentation and has an envious crew of BFFs, including Virgil Abloh, Kanye, Jaden Smith, Zoë Kravitz and more.
10. Zoey Deutch
707k Instagram Followers
The 21-year-old actress, and daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress Lea Thompson, is known for her lead role on CW’s ‘Ringer’. She has other big roles in her upcoming movies ‘Why Him?’ with James Franco and the biopic ‘Rebel in the Rye’ with Nicholas Hoult.
11. Sarah Snyder
1.1m Instagram Followers
The 21-year-old is a rising model, Instagram star and girlfriend to Jaden Smith. She recently got Smith’s initials inked on her left thigh, by one of fashion people’s favourite tattoo artists, Jon Boy.
12. Lucky Blue Smith
2.8m Instagram Followers
The 18-year-old model hails from one of modelling industry’s most influential families and one of the most stylish set of siblings, which explains why the platinum blonde, blue-eyed guy is considered the ‘It’ male model of the moment.
13. Pyper America Smith
720.5k Instagram Followers
A 19-year-old model and older sister to Lucky. The brother-and-sister duo are usually photographed together for fashion editorials and ads, but she managed to snag a Kipling campaign with her two older sisters for spring 2016.
14. Daisy Clementine Smith
289.7k Instagram Followers
Another Smith sibling and model who just turned 21. She fronted Forever 21’s summer 2016 campaign with her younger sister, Pyper.
15. Starlie Cheyenne Smith
108k Instagram Followers
The oldest of the Smith family siblings at 23 years old, and a model. All four make up pop band The Atomics. Starlie is lead vocals and rhythm guitar, while Pyper plays bass, Daisy is lead guitar and Lucky is on drums.
