Maison · Milan · Est. 1985
Dolce & Gabbana
Sicilian baroque, corseted opulence, and the Dolce Vita — the most sensual vision in Italian luxury.
Origin
How the maison began.
Domenico Dolce was born in Polizzi Generosa, Sicily, into a family of tailors; Stefano Gabbana was born in Milan and studied graphic design. They met in 1980 while working at the same atelier, fell in love, and in 1985 launched their namesake label with a women's ready-to-wear collection that looked like nothing else in Milan — corseted, black-laced, and unapologetically sexual. Their second collection, 'Real Women', featured Sicilian widows in black lace and established the house's enduring obsession with southern Italian beauty, Catholic iconography, and the female form as sacred architecture.
Atelier
The philosophy of the workshop.
Dolce & Gabbana's philosophy is built on excess as authenticity: more lace, more gold, more print, more sensuality. Where Prada intellectualises and Bottega Veneta whispers, D&G shouts in Sicilian dialect. The atelier in Milan produces collections that reference everything from Byzantine mosaics to Italian neorealist cinema, but the craft is always impeccable — corsetry is hand-boned, lace is sourced from Calais and Caudry, and the Majolica print ceramics that inspired the house's most famous collections are still hand-painted in Sicily. It is luxury that refuses to apologise for loving beauty.
Signature Codes
What you are actually buying.
No. 01
The Sicily Bag
Introduced in the AW12 collection and named after the island that inspires everything the house does, the Sicily is a structured top-handle bag with a curved frame and a small gold lock clasp. It comes in smooth leather, printed Dauphine, and the house's signature lace-overlay editions. The proportions are deliberately mid-century — it is the bag Sophia Loren might have carried.
No. 02
Majolica Print
The Majolica print — inspired by the hand-painted tin-glazed ceramics of Sicily, Amalfi and Capri — has become the house's most recognisable visual signature. It appears on everything from silk dresses to leather bags to swimwear, and each season the palette is redrawn from the original ceramics. The print is never digital; it is screen-printed or woven to preserve the slight irregularities that make the ceramics alive.
No. 03
Lace & Corsetry
D&G's lace is sourced from the same French and Italian mills that supply haute couture — Calais for the chantilly, Caudry for the heavier guipure. Corsets are hand-boned with steel and whalebone alternatives, and every collection includes at least one piece that references the Sicilian widow's black lace veil, reinterpreted as cocktail dress, gown, or swimsuit. It is the most technically demanding work the house produces.
No. 04
The Devotion Bag
Named for the heart-shaped clasp inspired by Sicilian sacred heart iconography, the Devotion is a quilted crossbody bag that has become the house's most commercially successful accessory. The heart clasp, in gold or pearl, is cast from a hand-carved original and opens with a satisfying mechanical click. It comes in every size from micro to tote, and in leather, velvet, and the house's lace-overlay editions.
Pillar
Sicilian Authenticity
Every collection begins with research trips to Sicily — the ceramics of Caltagirone, the baroque churches of Noto, the fishermen of Favignana. The references are not borrowed; they are ancestral.
Pillar
Corset as Architecture
D&G treats the female body as a structure to be celebrated, not concealed. Corsetry is hand-boned, lace is layered over nude tulle, and the silhouette is always assertive.
Pillar
Print as Culture
The Majolica, the leopard, the rose, the lemon — every D&G print carries a specific regional reference and is produced by the same Italian mills that have supplied the house for decades.
Shop the Maison
A short edit from the current floor.
Frequently Asked
What clients ask about Dolce & Gabbana.
Is Dolce & Gabbana at Palace of Roman authentic?+
Yes. Every piece is sourced through Dolce & Gabbana or its authorised European distribution partners, shipped with full traceability and tracked worldwide delivery.
How do Dolce & Gabbana dresses fit?+
D&G dresses are typically cut close to the body with a structured bodice and a defined waist. Corseted pieces are designed to be fitted; size up if you prefer more ease through the bust or hips. Lace-overlay dresses have less stretch than printed silk; consult the size guide for each fabric.
What is the difference between Dolce & Gabbana and D&G?+
D&G (the secondary line) was discontinued in 2012. All current production is under the main Dolce & Gabbana label. Vintage D&G pieces are still available on the secondary market but are no longer produced.
How do I care for Dolce & Gabbana lace?+
D&G lace is typically Chantilly or guipure sourced from French mills. Dry clean only; do not spot-treat as water can distort the delicate fibres. Store flat or on a padded hanger to prevent stretching.
Where is Dolce & Gabbana made?+
Dolce & Gabbana's ready-to-wear, leather goods and footwear are produced in Italy. Lace is sourced from France (Calais and Caudry); ceramics and print references are drawn from Sicily.