-By Pratyasha Sarkar
Few fashion houses have ever cut a suit more sharply than Dolce & Gabbana, who on a beautiful Saturday in Milan put on an excellent demonstration of directional tailoring and a lesson in chic attire.
The collection, dubbed “Stile,” which is Italian for “style,” focused on returning to the height of refinement with bold cutting and inventive construction—the majority of it in black.
This was the designer duo’s most focused statement yet, produced nearly entirely in black and white with undertones of grey and tobacco. A last death knell for streetwear as high fashion was also sounded. A wide image of the front row would show that editors, influencers, stylists, and fashion-obsessed personalities now entirely eschew loud logos, graffiti prints, sloppy hoodies, and active sport tops.
The house released a teaser lookbook prior to the performance that featured many black-and-white close-ups and a single phrase of text. The text provided an Italian dictionary definition of the phrase, which Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana supplied in spades. “Style (noun): A way of dressing and behaving in a person who has elegance, refinement, and serenity,” read the text.
Opening completely in black, with chiffon and gauze tops and kurtas, finely pleated trousers and poetic poplin shirts that billow poetically. a double-breasted tuxedo with cutouts at the sides, shoulders, and small of the back except for a cloth band. Or elegant Spencers in fine ecru wool without sleeves, worn with flowing pants.
Then came brilliant crepe undertaker coats, lapel-mounted fabric flowers on rock gangster clothes and very sensual white wedding suits for matinee idols. Some outstanding steely grey or tobacco zoot suits with chalk stripes would be appropriate for party activities.
