March 1, 2026 |
The question of identity occupied Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. For AW26 the designers doubled down on the design language they have worked 40 years to perfect. Looking inward for inspiration, they said in a statement “This is not nostalgia. It is presence,” describing their house codes as, “a language built on roots that are still alive. Sicily as emotion, black as strength, lace as intimacy, tailoring as authority, a vision where femininity and masculinity are in constant dialogue, where the body is not hidden but affirmed.”
Their show celebrated all of those unmistakable D&G-isms, honouring their great heritage in ways that felt fresh and modern. As soon as Madonna took her guest of honour place in the front row, the show started. Out came a line-up of remarkable tailored looks which followed the brand’s classic hourglass line, but each was cut so the back mirrored the front, a complex feat of technical cutting that also drew attention to the sensuality of nape of the neck. The models stopped and turned, showing the full 360 effect. The message was important. This is not a brand resting on its considerable laurels but one that after more than 40 years, can still actively push forward with creative cuts and innovation. The palette was mostly black – all the better to focus on silhouette and intricate fabrication.
The sheer lace dresses – a perennial at this house, seemed lighter and more delicate than ever before and were not worn over the usual corseted superstructure but barely there lingerie. Many looks – baggy jeans and a bra top, girdle style cycling shorts and a sheer skirt and hourglass jacket – were worn with flat masculine shoes, further grounding the looks in modern attitude. The result was a light, sensual, collection, rich with superlative tailoring and feminine dresses – the yin and yang that has always been at the heart of this brand. As the designers said: “Identity is the story of being true to yourself.”
Photography courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana.
