For more than three decades, Dolce & Gabbana’s namesake founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have proven their prowess in the fashion industry by flouting rules while creating romantic and extravagant clothes. The Italian duo is at it again, making its European luxury label one of the first to extend its women’s collection offerings up to size 18.
Starting with the pre-fall 2019 collection, which hit retail last month, and continuing with fall (which is arriving in stores now through September). Dolce & Gabbana is serving up ruffled dresses printed all over with lilies; black lace skirt suits trimmed with sparkly logo buttons; form-fitting leopard-print dresses; and other pieces made of fine materials such as silk cady, gold brocade, chiffon, jacquard and gray and black tweed. Unlike previous collections, which ranged only to a size 12, these looks will also be available in sizes 14 to 18. Each future collection will also offer styles in the extended size range.
Domenico Dolce said it was only natural to increase the range of sizes.
“We have always loved the female silhouette in every size and shape,” he wrote in an email. “Extending our clothing size range is a tribute to women, to feminine body shapes and to beauty in its entirety. Beauty is not a matter of size, it is not measured in centimeters; it is instead a state of mind, an attitude.”
The styles in the extended sizes are priced the same as the rest of Dolce & Gabbana’s women’s collection, which ranges from $395 to $5,795. The label is stocking the additional sizes in several of its U.S. boutiques, including Aspen, Beverly Hills, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and New York. The plus-size styles are also sold in department stores Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom and will be available soon through e-commerce site 11 Honoré.
Gabbana, in the same email, said one goal is to make all their clients “feel at ease, sensual, elegant and special.”
The designers’ statements of support suggest a progression toward inclusivity. Last year, Gabbana stoked the ire of Selena Gomez’s fans with an insensitive comment about the actress’ appearance. In November, the brand cancelled a high-profile runway show in China after consumers objected to racist overtones in its promotional video that featured an Asian model attempting to eat Italian food with chopsticks.
In a subsequent video apologizing for the China controversy, Gabbana said, “We will never forget this experience and it will certainly never happen again. In fact we will work to do things better.”
Their effort with size extension continues the spirit of their first runway show, titled “Donna Vere” or “Real Woman.” “It was 1985!” Gabbana said. “We never looked at fashion and beauty standards.”
Ashley Graham, one of the fashion industry’s most successful plus-size models, appeared in Dolce & Gabbana’s spring-summer 2019 campaign after having walked in its runway shows.
“What we have always been interested in is bringing authentic, beautiful women on the catwalk, without conforming to any rule,” Gabbana wrote . “Our goal is to create beauty and design clothes that make women feel fascinating and unique, regardless of their size.”
Source: LAtimes.com