Dolce & Gabbana: Black is back, and how

Few designers in history can cut a snappier suit than Dolce & Gabbana, who staged an impressive lesson in stylish dressing and a brilliant display on directional tailoring on a sunny Saturday in Milan.

Entitled 'Stile', Italian for style, the collection was all about going back to haute sophistication with bravura cutting and novel construction; all most of it in black.

Produced almost entirely in black and white, with hints of gray and tobacco, this was the latest super focused statement by the designer duo. It also marked the final death knell of streetwear as high fashion. A panning shot of the front-row would reveal that loud graphics, graffiti prints, sloppy sweatshirts and active sport tops are now completely avoided by editors, influencers, stylists and fashion-obsessed stars.

Pre-show, the house sent out a teaser look-book with a selection of black-and-white close-ups and one sentence of text. “Style (noun): A way of dressing and behaving in a person who has elegance, refinement and serenity,” read the text, offering an Italian dictionary definition of the term, which is what Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana delivered, in spades.

Opening all in black with billowing poetic poplin shirts, perfectly pleated pants, chiffon and gauze tops and kurtas, inventing whole new garments. A double-breasted tuxedo cut out at the sides and shoulders, except for a fabric band at the small of the back. Or sleek Spencers in fine ecru wool shorn of sleeves and paired with fluid trousers.

Brilliant undertaker’s crepe coats followed; rock gangster’s suits with fabric flowers sprouting from lapels and very seductive matinee idol white wedding suits. For proper party action, some sensational chalk-stripe zoot-suits in tobacco or steely gray.

Injecting an element of fantasy, they applied jade and strass on pinstripe shirts, or black fabric camellias to ankle length gauze djellabas. While their naughty altar boys in lace shirts and soutanes were something else. Nor did they forget some sex appeal – with multiple underwear looks anchored by a new boxing boot meets leather sock.

For years, men’s editors have lamented that Max Mara, the maker of superb women’s coats, have never developed a menswear collection. Well, it turns out Domenico and Stefano have beaten them to it, with a handful of magisterial double-face coats or padded satin town-coats in caramel, black, anthracite or Aran white. Though taking the coat to another level with leg o’ mutton sleeves and cocoon shapes or billowing white parachute fabric coats – all gentlemanly rock-god looks.

Powered by a brilliant techno soundtrack – The Answer by Anyma - that sounded like a galactic battle star gearing up to attack a distant planet. Worn by a cast of sultry lotharios led by Spanish supermodel Jon Kortajarena sporting newly blond hair.

And after a mass finale, Domenico and Stefano took their joint bow – dressed, but of course, in black pleated pants and T-shirts.

Black is back on top!

Dolce & Gabbana: Black is back, and how

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