Where is Dolce and Gabbana from? Learn About Their Start Here!

by Doreen Robbins

So, I was curious about Dolce & Gabbana, you know, the fancy Italian brand. I always see their stuff and wonder, “Where did these guys come from?” I decided to dig a little.

Where is Dolce and Gabbana from?  Learn About Their Start Here!

First, I hit up Wikipedia. Gotta start somewhere, right? I typed in “Dolce & Gabbana” and boom, tons of info. Apparently, it was started by two Italian dudes, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Sounds about right for an Italian brand. They met while working for another designer in 1982. I guess they hit it off because they started their own thing in 1985, in this place called Legnano. Not Milan, like I thought. Huh.

Then, I scrolled through the Wikipedia page some more. They have all these sections about the brand’s history, what they sell, who they work with, and even the books they’ve written. These guys are busy! I learned that they used to have two different lines, “D&G” and “Dolce&Gabbana,” but they merged them into just “Dolce & Gabbana” in 2011. Makes sense, simpler that way.

They are soccer fans

I also found out that they’re into soccer. Since 2004, they’ve been designing outfits for the A.C. Milan team. Not just for games, but also for when the players are just hanging out, off the field. Fancy!

Their first store opened in 1986 in Milan, and by 1989, they had expanded to Tokyo and New York City. I read that they got really popular in the 90s, working with Madonna and other big stars. They even won some awards, like the Woolmark Award in 1991 and “most feminine flavor of the year” in 1993. That must have been a big deal back then.

They have some pretty cool ads too. I read about this one ad for their first women’s fragrance with some actress named Monica Bellucci. It was directed by a guy named Giuseppe Tornatore, and the music was by Ennio Morricone. Sounds super artsy. They played it in Italy for years.

Where is Dolce and Gabbana from?  Learn About Their Start Here!

Dolce & Gabbana, or D&G?

Wikipedia also mentioned that they support young designers. There’s this one designer, Miss Sohee, from South Korea, who they’ve been helping out. She’s based in London now and went to some fancy design school called Central Saint Martins. Good for her!

Reading about their style, I learned that they’re inspired by Italian movies and thrift shops. That explains the bold colors and animal prints. Wikipedia called it “haute hippy dom.” I don’t even know what that means, but it sounds cool.

So, after all that, I feel like I have a better idea of where Dolce & Gabbana is from. Two Italian guys, started in a small town, got big in Milan, worked with celebs, love soccer, and make bold clothes. That’s the short version anyway. I might look into it more later, but for now, that’s enough for me.

  • Founded: 1985
  • Founders: Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana
  • Place: Legnano, Italy (near Milan)
  • Style: Italian, bold, colorful, inspired by movies and thrift shops
  • Fun fact: They design outfits for A.C. Milan soccer team!

Hope you found my little research project interesting. Maybe next time I’ll dive into another brand. Who knows!

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