Entertaining, spectacular and with a bright curatorial edge, the exhibition reads as an awe-inspiring tribute to the artistry of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, and to their unapologetic 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 to the Madonnina (the golden statue of the Madonna that overlooks the city from the spiers of the Duomo) to keep me here, and to don’t send me back to Sicily! She listened to my prayer and here I am, in this beautiful palazzo, surrounded by the women who inspired our collections, and by so many friends, in this city that I love very much for all the opportunities it has given us. It brings me so much joy, it’s overwhelming. It’s huge, it’s too big!â€
Stefano Gabbana echoed Dolce’s happiness and emphasized the purpose of the exhibition: “It’s about leaving a legacy to young generations, to inspire them to persevere in pursuing their dreams, as we did when we started with 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 happen.”
The celebrity contingent had everything but praise for the designers’ fantastic oeuvre. Isabella Rossellini, a longtime muse and friends, dressed in chic white brocade pajamas and cool flat slippers, gave a witty, loving speech. “Dolce & Gabbana are described as one designer with two heads, a kind of ancient mythological creature,” she said. ‘Together they are formidable. They tell the story of Italianita,the Italian spirit: a mix of innocence, refinement and daring. They do it with true artistry, mixing the sacred with the profane, the melancholic with the joyful, the romantic with the sexual.
Cher, looking sensational in black ripped jeans, a shaggy fluffy jacket and a matching beret keeping her long black locks in place, reminisces about her long-term friendship with Stefano and Domenico: ‘I love what they do because it just suits me beautifully, and it’s daring; they stand with one foot in history and the other in the future, they sense what is coming; they still have the emotion, the dedication. The exhibition is great; I didn’t think they had that much work, it was breathtaking. Their collections are always above standard; I still have all their bustiers, all their dresses, and I still wear them.â€
