Dolce Gabbana Hosted a Decadent Opening of its Milanese Exhibition “From the Heart to the Hands"
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Leave it to Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to throw a grand reception with no lack of glamour and star wattage. To celebrate the official opening of their exhibition “From the Heart to the Hands,” which displays their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, and Alta Gioielleria collections in the ornate salons of Milan’s Palazzo Reale, they spared no effort to dazzle their guests. Celebrities came out in force to fête the designers—the soirée had nothing less than a night at the Oscars. Cher, Demi Moore, Lupita Nyong’o, Theo James, Helen Mirren, Isabella Rossellini, Lily James, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Anitta, just to name a few, walked a blue carpet among throngs of cheering fans before touring the exhibition, marveling at its spectacular opulence. Milan’s mayor Beppe Sala, flanked by Naomi Campbell and the designers, cut the ribbon to roaring applause.
The exhibition, curated by French fashion historian and curator Florence Müller, brings together the Alta Moda (the pinnacle of the designers’ impressive body of work; Alta Moda collections were first launched in 2012), Alta Sartoria and Alta Gioielleria creations for the first time displayed through ten themed rooms, dedicated to the specific inspiration of each collection. The replica of Teatro alla Scala’s red velvet boxes is the frame for creations paying homage to Italian Opera; the gilded salon of Palermo’s Villa Gangi, where the famous ball scene of 1963 Luchino Visconti’s movie The Leopard was filmed, is also reproduced, featuring the sumptuous Alta Moda rendition of the ball gown donned by Italian actress Claudia Cardinale; a stunning Hall of Mirrors, entirely lined with mirrors made by Venitian glassmakers, reflect an installation of gowns incrusted with delicate ornaments made of glass. Every room dazzles with breathtaking, imaginative craftsmanship. At the heart of the exhibition, the representation of the designers’ atelier, busy with seamstresses and tailors at work, is a testament to their dedication to the excellence of the fatto a mano, the handmade, and to their respect for the Italian artisans whose talent has been instrumental in bringing their Alta Moda collections to life.
Entertaining, spectacular, with a limpid curatorial edge, the exhibition reads as an awe-inspiring homage to Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s artistry, and to their unabashed love for their country. “It’s impossible to express what I feel; tonight, I am so happy and grateful, “said an emotional Domenico Dolce in his speech before the dinner, held under the frescoed ceiling of Sala delle Cariatidi. “When I arrived in Milan as a young fashion student from Sicily, I fell in love with the city, and prayed the Madonnina (the golden statue of the Madonna that overlooks the city from the Duomo’s spires) to keep me here, and to not send me back to Sicily! She listened to my prayer and here I am, in this beautiful palazzo, surrounded by the women who have inspired our collections, and by so many friends, in this city, which I love dearly for all the opportunities it has given us. It brings me so much joy, it’s overwhelming. It’s huge, it’s too huge!”
Stefano Gabbana echoed Dolce’s happiness, highlighting the exhibition’s purpose: “It’s about leaving a legacy to young generations, to inspire them to persevere in the pursuit of their dreams, as we did when we started our company,” he said. “For us, this is a dream come true, and it’s proof that if you believe in what you do, you can make it too.”
The celebrity contingent had all but praises for the designers’ fabulous body of work. Isabella Rossellini, a longtime muse and friends, clad in a chic white brocade pajama and cool flat slippers, made a witty, affectionate speech. “Dolce Gabbana have been described as one designer with two heads, a sort of ancient mythological creature,” she said. “Together, they’re formidable. They tell the story of Italianità, the Italian spirit—a mix of innocence, sophistication, and audacity. They do it with true artistry, mixing the sacred with the profane, the melancholy with the joyful, the romantic with the sexual”.
Cher, looking sensational in black ripped denims, shaggy furry jacket, and a matching beret holding in place her long black locks, reminisced about her longtime friendship with Stefano and Domenico:” I love what they do because it just fits me beautifully, and it’s daring; they have one foot in history, and the other in the future, they feel what’s coming; they still have the emotion, the dedication. The exhibition is amazing; I didn’t imagine that they had that breadth of work, it took my breath away. Their collections are always above level; I still have all their bustiers, all their dresses, and I still wear them.”
Equally appreciative was White Lotus and Then Gentlemen British actor Theo James, one of the brand’s ambassadors, who has just wrapped a movie called The Monkey, inspired by a Stephen King’s horror story and directed by Osgood Perkins. His considerable good looks seem to be on par with a certain fashion eloquence: “I like Dolce Gabbana’s love of black and white, how they play with structure, and the edge of bespoke tailoring that keeps their style classic. I like classicism in male fashion, for me structure and timelessness are interesting. The exhibition made me understand their legacy, their history; I always knew that clothing could be art, yet I didn’t expect their work to be so artistic and complex; it has depth, it’s not just fashion but something much more expressive.”