An exhibition of the most extravagant garments from Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, conceived as a love letter to Italy, opened at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in Miami on February 5 and will run until June 14. It has previously been exhibited in Milan, Paris, and Rome.
Miami was chosen as the first city in the United States to kick off the American tour because of its Latin roots and multiculturalism. For fashion fans, this is a unique opportunity, as the luxury pieces on display are usually only admired by a few collectors and VIPs.
The exhibition, entitled “From the Heart to the Hands,” features 300 unique handmade pieces, including clothing, jewelry, shoes, and decorative objects, a true expression of the passion of the two designers, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, and their attraction to beautiful, excessive, almost sacred fashion.
It also pays tribute to the quality of Italian craftsmanship and its incomparable fine details. Visitors can discover a jacket embossed with elaborate silk appliqués; a dress adorned with folk motifs studded with sequins; sparkling liturgical ornaments; lace wedding dresses; and 20-centimeter platform sandals encrusted with jewels. They can also admire the organza dress covered with feathers worn by Naomi Campbell.
The brand began in 1985 with ready-to-wear clothing. In 2011, it abandoned its D&G franchise aimed at young people to launch into haute couture (Alta Moda), with a studio and a school to perpetuate the craftsmanship of Italian fashion.
Since then, celebrities have embraced the brand: Madonna wore a gemstone-encrusted bustier for her Girlie Show World Tour, and others followed suit, including Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige. Exceptionally, the house is independent and does not belong to any large fashion group, unlike Gucci (Kering group).
Despite financial difficulties and scandals linked to provocative and sometimes inappropriate statements, Dolce & Gabbana continue to draw their creativity from history, particularly ancient Rome, and religion. The exhibition features dresses entirely embroidered in cross-stitch depicting Botticelli’s Madonna, Leonardo da Vinci’s Unknown Woman, and Titian’s Bacchus.
Florence Muller, the museum’s exhibition director, says, “You can feel the hours that go into it.” All of this is presented in an atmosphere befitting the brand: floor patterns, Murano glass chandeliers, ancient columns. At times, it feels like being in a history museum.
Some rooms in the exhibition showcase Italian glasswork, featuring pieces decorated with glass beads and Lucite, as well as mirrors. Another room is inspired by the world of Luchino Visconti’s classic 1963 Italian film “The Leopard”; another from Sicily, where Domenico Dolce is from, with colorful ceramics, murals, and even a refrigerator decorated with folk scenes; and yet another, behind a golden gate, which leads into a chapel with figures dressed in rich costumes.
The visit culminates in a room inspired by Italian opera. The exhibition is a journey through a baroque Italy, rich, inspired, and grateful to its history and its artisans.
For more information: miami.dolcegabbanaexhibition.com
