ML - Michigan Avenue

2014 - Issue 2 - Spring

Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!

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"Oak Street's unique mix of boutiques creates a distinctive atmosphere compared to other shopping destinations." —STEFANO GABBANA FROM TOP: The designers fit a garment, demonstrating their respect for Italian craft and tailoring; the history and mythology of Sicily inspired Dolce & Gabbana's Summer 2014 collection. in Milan in the early 1980s while they were both working at a design firm. The two joined forces in 1982 and launched their first collec- tion in 1985.) Like so many aspects of Dolce & Gabbana's designs, Sicily is a locale teeming with contrasts: rugged terrain meeting a bounty of delicate, indigenous f lowers; the volcanic Mount Etna juxtaposed against beaches leading to spar- kling Mediterranean waters; a forward-thinking ap proach to industry versus the romance of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Several of these elements have found their way into the Spring 2014 collection, rooted in a story that Dolce calls "the mythological his- tory of Sicily blended with the iconic pieces that epitomize the DNA of our brand." Lithographs of Sicilian temples adorn airy shift dresses, while the shape of a column from one of those temples is re-created in metallic gold leather for the heel of a sandal. The Sicilian spring is perhaps best represented in the almond-blossom embroider- ies that trail seductively down organza coats and lacquered silk sheaths. The heads on Sicilian coins, meanwhile, are expanded to steroidal pro- portions and used like medallions on necklaces or waist-cinching belts. The Dolce & Gabbana hallmarks are also present: the cunning use of lace in black or red, as well as a brilliant group of gold finale dresses; the high-waisted skirts and shorts paired with bralike tops; and most par- ticularly, the devotion to craft, this season seen in the pair's emphasis on intaglio, used in those photolike prints, the lush f loral appliqués, and the laser-engraved leather accessories. Of course, you can't examine Dolce & Gabbana and not appreciate the pair's love of and respect for Italian craft and tailoring. Look closely at the women's or men's collection to understand their passion for structure and seam- ing, how a grosgrain ribbon might be used as the sublime edging on a jacket lapel, or how the shape of those high-waisted shorts is beautifully curved to follow the lines of a woman's body. A series of polka-dot dresses should be a favorite among Chicago women, Dolce says, adding that a grouping of chic black dresses also should appeal to the classic style he sees throughout the city. To appreciate Dolce & Gabbana, need you sport oversize gold coins or a sheer lace top exposing a bullet bra? Of course not, Gabbana says: "Sometimes we have to push the message to its extreme to make sure that people understand it with a show that only lasts 12 or 13 minutes." Dolce adds: "What matters is the attitude with which the woman approaches a collection. We love women who like to play with their own image and with their clothes." Next yea r, Dolce & Gabba na w ill commem- orate t he 30t h a nniversa r y of t heir f irst collect ion; t hey've done a master ful job over t hree decades at honing t he ba la nce infused t hroughout t heir desig ns, t he div ine excess tempered w it h t he classic st r ucture, t he y in a nd ya ng of feminine a nd masculine, t he dua l inf luences of sex a nd relig ion, t he apprecia- t ion of a ncient temples woven t hrough t he moder nit y of sleek dresses. "For us it's rea lly impor t a nt to underline t he fact t hat Dolce & Gabba na is not just one t hing," Dolce says. Indeed, as they prepare to open the doors of their Chicago boutique, the pair seems confident this audience will welcome their divine conf lu- ence of imagery and inspiration, knowing it's far from simple, far from minimal, and yet appreci- ating the history and craft inherent in each piece. "As Dolce & Gabbana is so linked with tradition," Gabbana says, "we felt Chicago was the right place to be." 68 E. Oak St.; dolcegabbana.com MA MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 123 120-123_MA_FEAT_D&G_Spring_2014.indd 123 2/11/14 11:28 AM

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