Page 41 - PROTAGONIST 132

From advertising campaigns to the most iconic editorials,
the great masters of reportage engage with leading fashion
photographers reinterpreting Dolce&Gabbana Black.
©Mattia Guolo ©Domenico Dolce

“I discovered forty years ago that black is the queen of all interpreted Dolce&Gabbana black since the 1980s. Among all, it is
colors”. This statement by the painter Henri Matisse tells us all impossible not to mention several masters such as Helmut Newton,
about the power of this color non–color par excellence; that yes Inez & Vinoodh, Giuseppe Leone, Enzo Brai, Salvo Alibrio, Sergio
it contains some colors, but still maintaining its unmistakable Larrain, Bruno Barbey, Ellen von Unwerth, Gian Paolo Barbieri,
uniqueness. Swallowing every possible nuance of the world, it Fabrizio Ferri and Juergen Teller.
manages to become other, to be profound and never the same; and In a constant dialogue that puts Dolce&Gabbana’s black at
yet it is true: it is always black. the center, stars from the film, entertainment and fashion systems
To love above all others this color – which more than any other alternate with intense portraits of ordinary people, many of whom
encompasses opposite but inevitably attracting feelings, such as are unseen by the general public.
sensuality and rigor, eroticism and chastity, tragedy and love – are And the celebrations involving the two designers do not end
also Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who have recognized there: in Milan itself, their creativity is recounted in the exhibition
its unique ability to elevate any outfit with its unmistakable depth entitled Dal Cuore alle Mani: Dolce&Gabbana (From the Heart to the
and eternal charm. And this has been the case since the very first Hands: Dolce&Gabbana), set up inside the Palazzo Reale and open
Dolce&Gabbana collection, PE86 Geometrissimo, up to the most until July 31. But this will not be the end of the festivities. Indeed,
recent fashion shows: black remains the symbol of the brand’s after the exhibition in Italy, the retrospective will move to some of
timeless elegance, its signature style, its hallmark. Inspired by the world’s most important cultural centers, paying homage to the
classic Sicilian clothing, black has been a constant and significant incredible work behind Dolce&Gabbana’s unique Haute Couture
element in the professional journey of the two designers, who– designs. The title of the exhibition is certainly not accidental:
after their first meeting in Milan–decided to join forces and the exhibition – which stands as a symbolic love letter to Italian
revolutionize the fashion world with their creations. culture, the inspiration of Dolce&Gabbana’s style since its origins
But the devotion the two designers have for this hue is now – ideally traces the extraordinary creative process of Domenico
further celebrated, even describing in a book their obsession with and Stefano. From their hearts, precisely, spring the ideas that
“the most powerful and overwhelming color”. In the volume, a reach their hands, from which they take shape. This is how they
large format strictly printed in black and white published by Rizzoli have been creating, for forty years, the clothes and accessories
New York, the masters of Italian and international reportage that, better than any other, tell an all–Italian story with genius
confront the most important fashion photographers, who have and mastery.

Protagonist Fashion 39