Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdolt͡ʃe e ɡabˈbana]), is an Italian luxury fashion house.^[1]

The company was started by the Italian designers Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana in Milan, Italy. By 2005 their turnover was €750 million.^[2] Their clothing designs are usually black in color and geometric in shape.

Brands

Dolce & Gabbana has two central lines with a few key distinct differences:

Dolce&Gabbana

Dolce&Gabbana (spelled without spaces, unlike the name of the company) specializes in luxury items, is influenced more by designers and is more formal and 'timeless', responding to long-term trends rather than seasonal changes. It also sells sunglasses and corrective eyewear, purses, and watches. In February 2010, it was announced that American singer Madonna would design a collection of sunglasses set to be released in May of that year. They also have a set of fragrances, for men and women.

D&G

D&G is a slightly more casual line that follows an urban inspiration and attempts to set trends rather than follow them. It is the younger, more flamboyant line of the brand. Like Dolce&Gabbana, D&G sells watches as well as clothing, and have been voted the U.K's best luxury brand. In 2005–2006, a limited line of 1000 golden D&G Motorola RAZR V3i mobile phones was distributed by D&G boutiques and major Motorola retailers. In July 2009 D&G signed a lucrative deal with singer Alexandra Burke which will see her model their fashion lines in her music videos and in promotions.

Boutiques

U.S. stores and locations

Dolce&Gabbana store in Milan

Dolce&Gabbana store in Kobe

There are six freestanding Dolce & Gabbana boutiques in the United States in:

• New York City, New York
• Beverly Hills, California
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Americana Manhasset on Long Island, New York
• Bal Harbour Shops in Bal Harbour, Florida
• The Mall at Short Hills in Short Hills, New Jersey

Dolce & Gabbana also has kiosks in several department stores, including Bergdorf Goodman, Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, and plans to expand into the American cities of Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

Latin America stores

Brazil

• Sao Paulo
• Rio de Janeiro

Mexico

• Mexico City
• Cancún

Chile

• Santiago
• Viña del Mar

Argentina

• Buenos Aires
• Mar del Plata

Panama

• Panama Ciy

Canada

Dolce and Gabbana is also sold c/o Holt Renfrew department stores at 4 locations in Canada as well as Harry Rosen (Vancouver & Toronto – Bloor Street) and La Maison Simons.

• Montreal
• Toronto
• Vancouver
• Calgary

Asia stores

Singapore

• Singapore - Ion Orchard, Wisma Atria, Forum the Mall, Mandarin Gallery

South Korea

• Seoul

Japan

• Kobe
• Osaka
• Tokyo

Qatar

• Doha

China

• Shanghai
• Beijing
• Hong Kong
• Macau

Controversy

Advertising

Dolce & Gabbana was publicly criticized by Britain's advertising watchdog Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in January 2007, for an advertising campaign showing models brandishing knives.

Following complaints from consumers' groups in February 2007, Dolce & Gabbana pulled an advertisement in Madrid, Spain and Paris, France that showed a man holding a woman to the ground by her wrists while a group of men look on. Spain's Labour and Social Affairs Ministry branded the campaign as illegal and humiliating to women, saying the woman's body position had no relation to the products Dolce & Gabbana were trying to sell.^[3] Italian publications followed suit, banning the ad.

Alleged tax evasion

In May 2009, the Italian government charged Dolce & Gabbana with tax evasion for having moved assets for about 249 million euro to tax haven Luxembourg in the 2004-2006 period.^[4][5]

References

External links

• Official website