“It’s very Martini style. It’s very Italian. This is our dolce vita,” said a good-humored Domenico Dolce backstage last night at Dolce Gabbana’s semi-impromptu tailoring show, which spotlit the brand’s Sartoria program (not to be confused with Alta Sartoria, Dolce s men s couture line). “Three days ago, Stefano and I thought, why not? Let’s do it. We had the clothes ready . . . and sometimes, fashion is, like, (deep inhale noise, clutches chest), so tonight is just to enjoy.”
But the D&G duo is nothing if not shrewd. With an ongoing major public push for the millennial generation (the company’s catwalks have lately featured a rotating roster of the young, rich, and Insta-famous), Dolce and Gabbana both realized they didn t want to alienate their longstanding customer, the man who buys their formal Sartoria line.
“Tonight is sexy. It’s about seduction,” continued Dolce. “It’s about that moment when you put on a suit and look in the mirror and feel that feeling.” And, with panache, their pre-millennial model favorites strutted their well-fitted stuff through the air-conditioned quarters of Dolce Gabbana’s perma-buzzy Martini Bar on Corso Venezia. Adam Senn opened the proceedings in a light blue shawl-lapel tuxedo, while Evandro Soldati wore a more classic black iteration (pinned, though, with a sprig of wildflowers).
With all the hashtagging and Insta-storying the house has promoted, the evening was an appreciated reminder of Dolce Gabbana’s menswear bread-and-butter; the suits were cut sharper than knives, and, while extravagantly styled, informed by a time before the selfie and the like-count. There’s definitely a little dolce vita left in that world.