Milan Fashion Week is coming, which means it’s time to embrace all things feisty Italian glamour. We can’t wait to see what Milan has to offer next season and in celebration of all things Italy, we’re exploring the stories behind some of our favourite Italian designers.
Dolce & Gabbana
If there’s one brand that epitomises Italian style, it’s Dolce & Gabbana. Known for its luxurious designs that combine Sicilian culture with high fashion, Dolce & Gabbana oozes glamour and old-school femininity. The story behind the brand starts in 1980 when Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana worked at the same fashion house, establishing a designer consulting studio in 1982. In 1985, their first women’s collection was presented in Milan; with a limited budget, this show featured their friends who modelled the collection, and a bed sheet that became the stage curtain – hard to imagine today given the spectacle surrounding each collection.
Dolce and Gabbana’s fourth collection is when the brand started to see real success. Creating designs that drew on Dolce’s upbringing in Sicily, the duo also took inspiration from 1940s Italian cinema. This has since become Dolce & Gabbana’s signature look, and is one that has propelled them into unprecedented success.
Dolce and Gabbana’s sunglasses collection encapsulates this style, with sultry, feminine styles that have quirky, on-trend details. Shop the latest Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses collectionon Mybag.
M Missoni
Missoni represents the other side of Italian fashion; the side that’s colourful, experimental, and not afraid to play with prints. The Missoni story is a family affair, dating back to 1953 when Ottavio and Rosita Missoni opened up a small knitwear shop in Gallarate, northern Italy. They presented their first Missoni collection in Milan in 1958, and with support from fashion insiders, the brand grew to great success.
In 1998, Missoni’s younger diffusion line – M Missoni – was established, featuring the brand’s signature knitwear and zigzag prints but in a cooler, more youthful way. Angela Missoni, Creative Director of the brand says: “I have conceived the M Missoni line as a collection of wearable pieces, easy to mix and match, pieces that women can wear around the clock, that can last in their wardrobe. Made with practical, comfortable materials, they are designed to be used and reinvented season after season.”
This signature style is seen throughout the M Missoni accessories collection, from multi-coloured scarves and knitted bucket bags, to shoulder bags adorned with knitted pompoms and ‘70s-inspired swimwear. Shop the latest M Missoni collection on MyBag.
Versace
Italian opulence at its best, Versace is an iconic fashion brand recognised the world over. Founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, this is a brand that isn’t afraid to be daring. Strongly influenced by Greek history, Gianni created designs that blended Greek symbols with sex appeal, with the Medusa motif becoming the brand’s signature. In 1994, the brand was catapulted onto the world stage when Elizabeth Hurley wore that black dress that soon gained iconic status, and since then the brand has become one of Italy’s finest exports.
In 1997, Gianni Versace was tragically killed on the steps of his mansion in Miami Beach, and his sister Donatella assumed the role of head of design at Versace. Donatella has been credited with growing the Versace name through her celebrity friends, as well as creating Versace’s other iconic dress – the green ‘jungle dress’ worn by Jennifer Lopez at the Grammys.
Versace’s accessories are equally as statement-making as its ready-to-wear collection, with iconic shapes updated in glamorous designs. Shop the latest Versace sunglasses collectionon MyBag.
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