Its A New Hedonism: Dolce & Gabbana On Their Hi-Tech AW21 Collection And New Ambassador Kitty Spencer – British Vogue

Last month, Dolce & Gabbana debuted a radical change of direction with a mens show devoted to the crazy and colourful wardrobes of TikTok kids and cyber-subculture. Their autumn/winter 2021 womens show followed suit, channelling digital dressing in a conversation between technology and the young generations nostalgia for the 90s. With references to their tight, black corseted dresses from the decade, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana injected their collection with all the augmented silhouettes, outlandish colours and techy textures of the digital world, bringing virtual reality one step closer to real life. Anders Christian Madsen spoke to Stefano Gabbana about the collection and the designers announcement of Kitty Spencer as brand ambassador.

Its not the first time! I love coloured hair. My first time was 30 years ago when I bleached it. Then I went orange, then I went blue, and now Im blue again. I take inspiration from the young generation! Next, I want to go green.

We worked with the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia: artificial intelligence. Remember when we presented the show with the drones? The season after, we started to look into artificial intelligence. The idea is to take influence from technology, but the most important thing about technology is humans. Humans make technology. Its handmade.

It influenced the fabrics, the colours, the attitude. Weve tried to do something different, mixing sponging with wool, wool with plastic, vegan fabric with mohair. Weve tried to do experimental things. Our job is like a mirror that reflects the present. And today, everything is about technology especially in this moment with the pandemic. Social media, new attitudes, new approaches This is the most interesting development to us.

Dolce & Gabbana autumn/winter 2021.

The future, I dont know, but what I know for sure is that artificial intelligence is a good thing for humanity. It can create help for healthcare, for politics, for nature. I dont know the future of fashion but were starting to do something new. More than the future, we are interested in today.

Its human to be scared about the future. The new is scary. But the future is now. We dont know whats going to happen tomorrow. Domenico and I are not afraid because we are curious, and that helps a lot.

For Domenico and me, freedom is the most important word. We are designers sketching collections in Milan. Sometimes people say, Where are we going with this? Its impossible to wear this! But the world is big. If its not okay for me, maybe its okay for you, or another person. Maybe its not okay immediately, for now, maybe itll be okay in two or three years time. Thats our reflection on today.

Dolce & Gabbana autumn/winter 2021.

Half of the silhouettes come from social media: the structured things, the exaggerated volumes. The other half is very Dolce & Gabbana: tight, sartorial, slim, sexy. For many years, young people have been asking us, Ah, why dont you make the clothes you made in the 90s? The 90s, 90s, 90s

We werent 100 per cent comfortable with the idea because, you know, when youve done something before its very difficult to redo it in the same way. Youve changed your mind, mentality, age, and today is a different time. Its not the 90s. So, weve tried to do some 90s: embroidery, corsetry, sexiness. But the starting point is different.

Dolce & Gabbana autumn/winter 2021.

Today, young guys and girls dress up for themselves, for selfies, for the mirror; today sexy is the same word but with another value. The new generations approach to sexy is totally different. In the 90s, youd dress sexy for other people. In this moment, the young generations dress sexy for themselves, because they love it. Its kind of a new hedonism.

Weve been friends with Kitty (the niece of the late Diana, Princess of Wales) for a long time. We feel very comfortable in her company; talking, eating, spending time together. It was spontaneous to ask her to become the image of Dolce & Gabbana. And we love British beauty. Weve been attracted to Britain since our early beginnings. Its the most extravagant culture in the world. She walked two or three times for us. Maybe shell walk next time, when its possible to do a real show again.

Kitty Spencer walking a Dolce & Gabbana show in 2018.

Victor VIRGILE

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Its A New Hedonism: Dolce & Gabbana On Their Hi-Tech AW21 Collection And New Ambassador Kitty Spencer - British Vogue