Dolce & Gabbana turn tax evasion case into fashion inspiration

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/sep/22/dolce-gabbana-tax-evasion-inspiration

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Dolce & Gabbana's Sunday afternoon show in Milan was the first since the designers were convicted of tax evasion. And far from shying away from their legal predicament, the designers took the opportunity to turn money troubles into clothes.

Coins appeared as a motif throughout the collection, which had an ancient world theme. They were on prints on bell-sleeved dresses, in a centurion-style shift dress and on sandals, earrings and belts – all set to sell by the bucketload to women who love such luxury trinkets.

There have been suggestions that if the next appeal by lawyers is unsuccessful, this could be Dolce & Gabbana's last show. It would be a pity – this oh-so-Italian brand demonstrated once again its very particular point of view: one that combines witty, playful design with the glamour and romance of La Dolce Vita to make, ultimately, dresses that make women feel sexy.

Stefano Gabbana has said they are being "crucified like thieves" and Dolce & Gabbana stores in Milan were closed for three days in July "for indignation". The protest came after the city councillor Franco D'Alfonso argued in a newspaper article that the duo should not be allowed to show in the city's communal spaces. Sunday's show was not part of the official Milan fashion week schedule.

Found guilty of failing to declare €1bn (£850m), they have been ordered to pay €343.4m – which would force the company to close, Gabbana said in July. They both received 20-month jail terms but it is unlikely the designers – and the four other executives involved in the case – will actually serve any jail time. The next appeal takes place at the end of the year.

Sicily is always a source of inspiration for the pair and in this show they mined the ancient world of the island. It wasn't meant to be historically accurate. The show notes namechecked Federico Fellini's 1969 film Satyricon (loosely based on the work by the Roman writer Petronius) where "the ancient temples and theatres are transposed into surreal visions".

This allowed for some classics of the brand – sexy little black dresses, lingerie-influenced slip dresses and lots of black lace. The fun came when they mused on Sicily as a place to holiday. The invite to the show came in the form of a postcard, and drawings of tourist destinations such as ancient temples were printed on full 50s skirts.

Heels featured doric columns. Almond blossom trees were beautifully reproduced in appliqué on smart PVC shift dresses in cherry red and grass green – expect to see these on the red carpet soon. The contents of tourist shops were even in the mix – the classic red polka-dot flamenco dress loved by little girls was recreated for grownups.

Marni also showed on Sunday. If Milan fashion can broadly be divided into sex and sandals, this brand falls into the latter category. The contrast with the va-va-voom world of Dolce & Gabbana was exaggerated by electricity problems which meant the models walked in silence for the morning show.

Sandals were very much in evidence – this season, they came in a flatform shape with foam soles and striped straps. The clothes were a treat for Marni's artistically inclined woman with a healthy bank balance. A mix of Japanese-influenced shapes, sportswear detailing and the now-familiar vintage store collage, there were wide-sleeved jackets tied across the body with belts that looked liked the harnesses on climbing gear and pretty 40s tea dresses. Arty types will appreciate midi skirts and duster coats beaded with plastic flowers like those on a 60s shower cap. It was all a long way from Dolce & Gabbana's coin-counting in Sicily but that's the thing about Milan – both sides live happily together.

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