Streetwear and Seneca collide in Dolce and Gabbana's Catholic-themed show
Backstage, before their ecclesiastically themed show began on Sunday afternoon, Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce shared a snapshot from when they were both cast as men of the cloth in Rob Marshall’s musical Nine – the one that purportedly starred Daniel Day-Lewis but which we now know contained these masterful cameos.
Their performance in that film was significantly shorter than the delay before the show, caused by a technical hitch. Some of the audience wouldn’t or couldn’t turn off their wifi, despite repeated requests. This meant the big opening sequence in which a dozen handbags were shuttled down the runway via drones, like storks delivering particularly costly babies, almost didn’t happen.
Fortunately, Dolce e Gabbana’s audience are tolerant about delays, which merely provide them with more time in which to observe and be observed. On one side of the catwalk sit the journalists, editors and stylists – the below-stairs staff - in their relatively drab uniforms of navy, black and grey. On the other, high-net worth clients, in full length lace ball gowns, tiaras, minks (including a pair of mink hot-pants), wigs and jewelled capes – all at 2pm.
While other designers spout on about diversity, Dolce e Gabbana put it out there on their front rows, with customers from all over the world, in various shapes and sizes, aged from about 75 to three (the latter, outfitted head to toe in silk Dolce e Gabbana entertained herself during the long wait by posing with her Dolce handbag for the photographers).
On the catwalk, the Roman Catholic Church had been exhaustively plundered for ideas; timely given the Met museum Costume Institute’s Catholic-focussed fashion exhibition which opens in May and will feature several of Dolce e Gabbana’s religion-inspired designs from across the decades.
Cherubim romped across velvet tunics, shoes and coats. Crucifixes abounded. Papal purple found fresh meaning in velvet jogging “suits”. One black shirt featured a white dog-collar, gold incense dispensers were turned into bags and the classic Dolce e Gabbana trouser suit stepped into the spotlight in luxurious brocades from Venice and Rome, where there is a thriving industry making these patterned silks for Italy’s numerous priests.
Despite the many catwalk shows Dolce e Gabbana stage each year – more than any other label - this one felt sincere and was packed with stand-outs, from a floral embroidered parka or sequin and houndstooth skirt and jacket to oversized patchwork bomber jackets.
While Stefano Gabbana revealed that he goes to San Babila, Milan’s 11th century church, every Sunday – not to listen to the sermon ('that’s boring') but to sit in peace and pray - pop culture was clearly another big influence on this show. T-shirts and black dresses, minimalist as a nun’s habit, but rather more body-con, were decorated with slogans such as 'Fashion Sinner', while Latin ponderings on love meandered across track suits – possibly the first time “street-wear” and Seneca have collided.