Dolce & Gabbana

That habit of building on its own archive is what makes the house easy to collect.
A leopard print from one collection reads against a majolica print from another. The
carretto motif, drawn from the painted Sicilian carts, has been reworked so many times
it now functions as a house neutral. In 2012 Dolce & Gabbana added its couture
line, Alta Moda, with a debut show in Taormina.

Luxury Handbags carries more than 900 pieces across ready-to-wear, from
dresses
and tops through
tailoring,
knitwear and
beachwear.
Everything is made in Italy and listed in UK sizing, converted from the Italian ladder
the house cuts to. Each piece is authenticated before it ships.

The Luxury Handbags editor’s guide to Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana is one of the few houses where the loudest piece in the room and
the most wearable one often come from the same collection. The trick to buying it well
is deciding which job you want it to do.

Where to start

If this is a first piece, the tailoring is the safer entry. A single-breasted tweed
jacket carries the house codes in the buttons and the cut without
committing you to a print. The
jackets and
coats hold their
shape through the shoulder, so they sit well over a slip dress and over denim.

If you already know you want the print, start with the
dresses.
The rose, majolica and leopard motifs are cut on charmeuse and twill that move, and a
printed dress needs nothing beside it beyond a sculpted heel. Treat the print as the
whole outfit and stop there.

How the pieces work together

The house prints share a palette across seasons, which is why a majolica skirt from
one year sits happily under a black lace top from another. Two prints at once is a
Dolce & Gabbana signature rather than a mistake, but it needs a shared ground colour
to read as deliberate. Black lace is the connective tissue in the wardrobe. It softens
tailoring and it stops a bright print from tipping into costume.

Italian sizing, converted

Dolce & Gabbana labels on the Italian ladder. Luxury Handbags lists every piece in UK
sizing, so the conversion is already done for you. The table is here for reference when
you are comparing against a piece you already own.

Tailoring holds close to that ladder. Corsetry and bias cuts sit tighter through the
body, so check the garment measurements in the size guide on each product page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dolce & Gabbana still owned by its founders?

Yes. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana founded the house in Milan in 1985 and it has
remained independent, which is unusual at this level of Italian luxury.

What is Dolce & Gabbana best known for?

Sicilian decoration and Italian tailoring in the same wardrobe. In practice that means
black lace, corsetry, and the leopard, rose, majolica and carretto prints the house has
returned to since the 1980s.

What is Alta Moda?

Alta Moda is the couture line, launched in 2012 with a debut show in Taormina, Sicily.
It is made to order and shown outside the Milan calendar. Luxury Handbags stocks ready-to-wear,
not Alta Moda.

What size is Italian 42 in UK sizing?

IT 42 is a UK 10. The UK figure runs 32 below the Italian one, so IT 40 is a UK 8 and
IT 44 is a UK 12. Luxury Handbags lists every piece in UK sizing already.

Where is Dolce & Gabbana made?

In Italy. The house is based in Milan and produces its ready-to-wear in Italian
ateliers, which is why country of origin reads Italy on every piece Luxury Handbags carries.

Is Dolce & Gabbana at Luxury Handbags authentic?

Yes. Every piece is authenticated before dispatch and ships worldwide by DHL Express
and FedEx International Priority, insured and signature required.