A romantic Baroque celebration of a feminine Sicilian woman by Dolce & Gabbana struck the right balance in their latest collection for fall winter 2012. The duo sent out a collection that was rich, opulent and archaic with ornately embroidered flowers and patterned tulle. Capes and velvet dresses were said to be dipped in gold and many of the dresses and skirts looked as if they had been rolled in fields of flowers.
A devotional religious theme was prominent throughout the collection with ecclesiastical embroidered caped priest coats, choir-boy neck ruffs and white tulle communion dresses with dark cherub prints. Headpieces used as a crowning accessory were made of lace, golden thread, jewels, ceramic flowers and pearls which gave the models a look of innocence and royalty.
Traditional Sicilian needlepoint was beautifully portrayed in a dress with flowers in red, blue and peach against a white lace background on one of the more “demure” silhouettes. The Italian duo wanted to create a look that was modest and subtly sexy, pairing tulle, silk and fur with the exhaustive needlepoint technique on blouses, dresses, skirts, shorts, jackets and coats.
Accessories were equally intriguing, featuring lace socks with button closures at the back paired with curved pointed-toe booties. Transparent ankle socks came in either sheer black or gold embellished with embroidery and lace and were often paired with Mary Jane heels or knee high boots and evening sandals, all displaying a baroque motif.
Larger-than-life jewels echoed the extravagant chandeliers above the runway with earrings that seemed to follow the elaborate baroque theme using tulle, precious jewels, cherubim and ceramic roses. A cherub dangled from a large oval sapphire with a pearl drop accent. Others mixed tulle with pastel ceramic roses and pear-shaped pearls. A pair of ornate gold Fleur-de-Lis earrings with yellow, pink and lilac roses along with painted cherubs and pearls harmonized perfectly with the baroque theme.
Handbags in every shape and size featured needlepoint, including delicate coin purses, evening clutches and large satchel bags that displayed either floral or cherub prints. One satchel featured a combination of fur and lace while others were made out of pure lace trimmed with gold chains.
The show’s finale featured an army of black velvet capes decorated with gold filigree embroidery and bell-shaped dresses embroidered with metallic gold thread against a black background. If there is one fashion house unafraid to show it’s roots, it is Dolce & Gabbana. As Stefano Gabbana said: “We need the tradition in order to move forward.”
