Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2019: An Eleganza Extravaganza
Dolce & Gabbana returns with ‘la dolce vita’ in full force for the Fall/Winter 2019 season. The collection, dubbed ‘Eleganza’ or ‘Elegance’, is a vibrant celebration of femininity and the many facets of a woman. The whopping 127 looks in the collection are divided into themes, each one representative of the signatures developed by the designers over the past decades. Perhaps two words to describe the collection would be: updated classics. The designs reiterate the key elements that have come to be associated with Dolce & Gabbana, such as womenswear in men’s tailoring, leopard prints, florals, all-over embellishments and more, but with a new take.
One of the key strengths of Dolce & Gabbana is the designers’ ability to adapt the shapes and fabrics of menswear to suit women’s tastes and physiques. For Fall/Winter 2019, three-piece black-and-white suits, tuxedoes, and ankle-brushing coats hark back to the styles of the 1920s and 1930s, with a Dolce & Gabbana twist of accentuated waists, feather headpieces, and embellished bow-ties.
Sensual is definitely a word in Dolce & Gabbana’s vocabulary. Nightgowns, dresses, and robes made of satin and chiffon with fur and lace trimming are characteristically sensuous, hued in a pastel palette inspired by traditional marzipan and pistachio sweet treats.
Leopard prints, a heavy favourite with the designers, surface on dresses, jackets, trousers, tights, and shoes. Tastefully balanced out by modest silhouettes, the animals prints express the boldness and strength of a woman who carries herself with confidence and ease
Familiar florals are refreshed with experimental techniques – prints aren’t really prints but rather pieces of individual heat-transferred blooms with glossy surfaces, mixed with three-dimensional fabrics and raffia flowers.
Surrealist art splashed over dresses and jackets allude to the proud heritage of Italian artists, looking back to Leonardo, Raphael, and Botticelli of the Renaissance yet also hinting at the expertise of modern artists, Dolce and Gabbana included, of course.
The notion of ‘Italian excess’ has always been a part of the brand’s DNA. The OTT glittering sequins and richly-embroidered brocade of this season’s looks practically scream Dolce & Gabbana
Domenico Dolce has always been proud of his Sicilian roots, and the duo have always embraced the Southern Italian sense of femininity. The island comes to the forefront with these all-black outfits (black is the typical colour of traditional Sicilian dress), reflecting the “Nero Sicilia” idea at the heart of the brand.
The Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2019 Ready-to-Wear collection is available in stores this month.
