There are people who achieve rock star and Hollywood status. Then there are people who define rock star and Hollywood status. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana met in 1980 when they worked at the same art studio in Venice. In 1982, they partnered up doing freelance design and debuted their first collection in 1986. Rarely has the world ever seen such a dynamic partnership, seamless in its creative harmony and fashion foresight. Very quickly, the surnames Dolce & Gabbana implied glamour, versatility, and resounding charisma. You can't help but admire the confidence of the cosmopolitan woman or the free-spirited, impeccably dressed man wearing Dolce & Gabbana. The clothes make a statement about the wearer that exudes sensuality and unapologetic individuality. Hence, it is no surprise that the fashion elite deem Dolce & Gabbana to be the same caliber as couture houses of Armani, Gucci, Prada, Valentino, and Versace.
Domenico Dolce was born in 1958 in Sicily, Italy, while Stefano Gabbana was born in 1962 in Venice, Italy. The chemistry was instantaneous between the two and immediately apparent to the fashion community as they unveiled their premiere menswear collection and opened their first boutique in Milan, Italy in 1990. Much of their booming success could be attributed to the undying devotion of many of Hollywood's and the rock star community's elite. The duo constantly stays ahead of fashion trends by redefining the young person's universe through inspiration from various ethnic and cultural sources in our shrinking global community. The company has three main clothing lines, Dolce & Gabbana, D&G, and D&G Junior. The D&G line evolves much more quickly as it focuses on what's affecting contemporary music and popular culture in the moment, free from the stifling constraints of high-end luxury fashion. Both Dolce & Gabbana and D&G lines offer beachwear, underwear, eyewear, and fragrances. D&G additionally features timewear and jewelry. The Dolce & Gabbana Animalier line features gorgeous cheetah print bags and belts. D&G Junior is aimed at children 12 and under and is more widely available in boutiques and department stores worldwide.
The first Dolce & Gabbana store opened in the United States in 1995 in Houston at The Galleria, the heart of the city's fashion district. To date, the brand is accessible in more than 28 countries in cities including Beirut, as of November 2006. The private lives of the two creative geniuses became front page news in 2005 when they announced their romantic separation, though they emphasized their commitment to each other on the business and creative fronts. This became even more apparent when a partnership with Motorola in that very same year was announced as Dolce & Gabbana introduced a gold limited edition RAZR V3i cell phone. And most recently, the company announced that Rihanna will be donning exclusive D&G designs while supporting the Pussycat Dolls on their European Tour which kicked off in November 2006.