Founded by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in 1985
Dolce & Gabbana put sex into Sicily. They swept away the preconceived ideas of widows and vendettas and reinvented it with seduction and shades of Sophia Loren. Dolce & Gabbana are experts in mixed metaphors of flyaway beading, corsetry and cleavage, often accessorized by curled locks and a sweep of 1950s-style eyeliner.
Launched in 1985, their early collections concentrated on corsetry, the promotion of cotton/Lycra underwear as outerwear. In 1993 the duo designed costumes for Madonna's Girlie Show. By 1997 they were Hollywood hotshots, dressing the stars for a variety of awards. `The show is only fantasy,' said Stefano, underplaying their reputation in 1997, `it's not even that representative of what we do. People think Dolce: glamour, curves, sexy. But we also do suits, cardigans, skirts - clothes women can wear to work.'
