D&G: On the Lookout for Chinese Designers
Italian luxury designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have their eyes on China’s emerging designers. At China’s Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing on Monday afternoon, the Italian duo, who run their own famed fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, stood in front of a crowd of aspiring designers who wanted to know what it takes to build a brand like D&G, which has swelled globally over the past decade, creating a fashion empire with sales of nearly $1.5 billion last year.
“Fashion has to be your love,” said Mr. Dolce. “Look at me, I am a fashion priest–no boyfriend, no husband, no family, only fashion,” he said. On-looking students, an estimated 300 or so, listened attentively, scribbled notes, and then bombarded the pair with questions. A few examples: “Why don’t you collaborate with other retailers like Zara and H&M?”; “What do you think of China’s designers?”
Beyond the pair’s desire to do more business in the China, they’re also looking for talent to feed into a new project they’ve taken on to give up-and-coming designers more opportunities. In September of last year, the company opened Spiga2, a Milan-based store that features and sells the work of emerging international designers, including Lu Kun, a Shanghai-native whose career began to take off after winning the Shanghai Fashion Federation’s award for best young designer in 2004.
D&G WOMAN FASHION SHOW SUMMER 2011
Dolce & Gabbana – Fall Winter 2011/2012 Full Fashion Show