For the first time in its 40-year history, the Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana presents its work in the French fashion capital.
ADVERTISEMENTParis, the birthplace of haute couture, now plays host to a powerful Italian counterpoint French luxury fashion.
The message, as curator Florence Müller says, is direct: “Yes, Italy is doing it too.”
A significant exhibition From the heart to the hand (From the heart to the hand), which runs from January 10 to March 31, is more than a celebration Dolce & Gabbana40 years of Italian craftsmanship – it’s a tribute to the common, interconnected history of fashion itself.
“The story of fashion is global,” explained Müller. “Embroidery, lace, brocade – they existed long before Paris fashion, in Italy, India and beyond.”
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana first crossed paths in a Milan nightclub just five years before they founded their company. At the time, they both worked for the fashion designer Giorgio Correggiari. After spending several years as colleagues, they began to dream of creating their own fashion line.
In 1982, they took a big leap of faith, leaving their jobs to found a consulting studio for freelance designers. By 1985, they had saved enough capital to launch the iconic luxury brand we know today as Dolce & Gabbana.
Located on 1,200 square meters of newly renovated Grand Palacethe exhibition features over 200 looks from the company’s Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria collections, alongside 300 handcrafted accessories and objects, including Sicilian ceramics.
Baroque grandeur defines the collection, unapologetically maximalist and layered with embellishments. Among the highlights is the dress inspired Venetian Murano glassencrusted with glass mosaics from Orsoni Venezia 1888, the glassmakers behind the golden mosaics of the Basilica of St. Brand. Müller described it as “sculpture on textiles – pure craftsmanship elevated to art.”
Opera occupies a central place. A black velvet dress softened with gold embellishments evokes the drama of Bellini’s Norma, while the romantic blue dress for Verdi’s La Traviata flows like an aria, its layers of tulle whispering love and loss.
Meanwhile, the brand’s icons, such as Sophia Loren and Naomi Campbell, are immortalized in huge paintings. Classical Italian opera and traditional Sicilian folk tunes provide the soundtrack throughout the various spaces.
But From heart to hand it’s not just about ready-made pieces. Five real seamstresses from the Milan atelier of Dolce & Gabbana work live during the exhibition, making bodices, bustiers and corsets in front of visitors.
“This seamstress sews the lace to form the dress, while the other sews the fabric by hand,” said Müller. “It’s extraordinary. This isn’t just fashion – it’s art.”
Sicily, the birthplace of Domenico Dolce, lies at the heart of the collection. Traditional Sicilian hand-painted carts, ceramics and lace-making techniques are woven into the fashion. However, the exhibition also highlights the often overlooked global influences of fashion.
“Luxury goods and artisans traveled more than we think,” Müller said. “The silks and brocades used in the Palace of Versailles came from India, and Italian artisans were hired to create the Hall of Mirrors… (Fashion) is a constant exchange and inspiration – this exhibition reveals what time has forgotten.”
