Excess and restructuring: Dolce & Gabbana’s SS27 debut amid financial turbulence
The Italian house’s flamboyant Milan show marks a new chapter under co-CEO Stefano Cantino, as the brand navigates a £391m debt pile and corporate reshuffles.
Dolce & Gabbana presented its Spring/Summer 2027 menswear collection at Milan Fashion Week, delivering a theatrical display of excess that stood in stark contrast to the brand’s ongoing corporate restructuring. The show, characterised by a 'molto sexy' aesthetic, featured revealing outfits including micro shorts, clingy muscle vests, and topless models. Garments ranged from ripped or jewel-encrusted jeans to T-shirts printed with Sicilian lemons, ancient amphitheatres, and a mosaic depiction of Christ.
The presentation served as the brand’s first menswear showcase since Stefano Gabbana stepped down as chair. Gabbana tendered his resignation in December of the previous year, with the announcement made public in March. While he retains his position as co-creative director, the company has undergone significant management changes, including the appointment of former Gucci chief executive Stefano Cantino as co-chief executive in January. Cantino works alongside Alfonso Dolce, the brother of co-founder Domenico Dolce.
This creative output arrives against a backdrop of financial difficulty for the luxury house, which is reportedly navigating a £391m debt pile. Reports indicate that the brand is considering a sale and leaseback of several properties it owns in Milan as part of negotiations with creditors. The collection followed a controversial all-white casting incident earlier in the year, adding to the brand’s history of public disputes since its founding in 1985.
Despite a wider slump in the luxury market, Dolce & Gabbana maintains a strong presence on red carpets, with fans including Colman Domingo, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Ryan Gosling. The SS27 show was designed to reaffirm the brand’s signature identity of flamboyance and la dolce vita, aiming to draw attention away from its debt issues and management reshuffles.
Later in the day, Paul Smith presented his collection in Milan, highlighting a resurgence in tailored suiting among younger demographics. The British designer, who turns 80 next month, cited a shift among 18-to-25-year-olds away from casual pandemic-era wear towards smarter styles. Smith’s collection featured unbuttoned waistcoats, shirts worn untucked, and bespoke details such as crocodile eye buttons and lapel pins inspired by teaspoons and sardines.