Black Dominates at Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo Back Goes to Old Hollywood

Models present creations for Dolce & Gabbana on February 25, 2023 during the Fall-Winter 2023-2024 Women's Collections as part of the Fashion Week in Milan. (AFP)
Models present creations for Dolce & Gabbana on February 25, 2023 during the Fall-Winter 2023-2024 Women's Collections as part of the Fashion Week in Milan. (AFP)
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Black Dominates at Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo Back Goes to Old Hollywood

Models present creations for Dolce & Gabbana on February 25, 2023 during the Fall-Winter 2023-2024 Women's Collections as part of the Fashion Week in Milan. (AFP)
Models present creations for Dolce & Gabbana on February 25, 2023 during the Fall-Winter 2023-2024 Women's Collections as part of the Fashion Week in Milan. (AFP)

Designs in black dominated the catwalk at Dolce & Gabbana's Milan Fashion Week show on Saturday, with the Italian luxury label offering plenty of dresses, suits and coats for women's wardrobes next winter.

The duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana opened their autumn/winter 2023-2024 show with a black sheer dress accessorized with a furry collar and black gloves.

Then came trouser suits and coats alongside sheer, and sometimes embroidered, frocks in lace, tulle and chiffon. Cropped black jackets and trousers were worn with white shirts and black ties in the collection called "Sensual".

"Sensuality is an important aspect of femininity that has nothing to do with being sexy," the two designers said in show notes.

"Sensuality is intrinsically connected to an inner experience that makes women spontaneous and natural. Free of any fabrication."

Dolce & Gabbana also had shiny gold and silver designs, including draped dresses and belted macs. Gold collars stood out on black lace tops.

There was also a selection of all-red looks - outfits, tights and shoes - and white satin or chiffon dresses, trouser suits and coats.

Detailing included shiny black crystals and black feathers on collars.

At Ferragamo, designer Maximilian Davis took fashionistas back to old Hollywood, taking inspiration from film stars who worked with the Italian brand for the collection called "Cinema".

Models wore sleek tailored coats and jackets, shimmering short dresses, and trousers slit at the ankle.

Some outfits had batwing sleeves or draped detailing. Accessories included large bags and shoes with angular heels for women. Davis' color palette included blues, white, greys, red and yellow as well as patterned designs.

"It’s how Ferragamo started, making shoes for films in the 1930s, and that grew into building relationships with movie stars like Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s,” Davis said in show notes.

"I was interested in using their glamour and beauty, and their way of dressing, as a reference, but looking at how we could make it feel modern for today."

Milan Fashion Week wraps on Monday.



Sports Brand Puma Reports Flat First-Quarter Sales, Maintains 2025 Outlook 

A Puma logo is seen on a Puma Speedcat OG sneaker displayed at the Puma Mostro House in Paris, France, January 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A Puma logo is seen on a Puma Speedcat OG sneaker displayed at the Puma Mostro House in Paris, France, January 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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Sports Brand Puma Reports Flat First-Quarter Sales, Maintains 2025 Outlook 

A Puma logo is seen on a Puma Speedcat OG sneaker displayed at the Puma Mostro House in Paris, France, January 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A Puma logo is seen on a Puma Speedcat OG sneaker displayed at the Puma Mostro House in Paris, France, January 24, 2025. (Reuters)

German sportswear brand Puma reported flat first-quarter sales and a decline in its profit margin on Thursday, and maintained its 2025 outlook, excluding any impact from US tariffs.

Puma replaced its CEO last month after a string of profit warnings as the company struggled to drive consistent sales growth, with its new shoes ranges like the Speedcat not doing as well as the company had expected.

Shares were up around 2% in early trading on Thursday. Puma's stock is down 47% since the start of the year, as missed sales and profit expectations weigh.

First-quarter sales of 2.08 billion euros ($2.35 billion) were slightly better than analysts' average forecast of 2.04 billion euros, and up 0.1% from the first quarter of last year.

Weaker sales to retailers in the US and China drove Puma's wholesale business - its main sales driver - down by 3.6%, but stronger online sales helped its direct-to-consumer business grow 12% to 546.5 million euros.

Puma has named former Adidas sales chief Arthur Hoeld as its new CEO to turn performance around. The board is leading the company until Hoeld takes over on July 1.

The company's gross profit margin for the first quarter declined by 0.6 percentage points to 47%.

Puma stuck to its 2025 outlook for "low-to mid-single-digit" sales growth, but said that excludes any impact from US tariffs.

It has already reduced its US imports from China, which are subject to tariffs of 145%, Chief Financial Officer Markus Neubrand said.

Like its competitors Adidas and Nike, Puma would be hit hard if US President Donald Trump reinstates steep tariffs on Southeast Asia, currently paused until July.

Puma buys 28% of its products from factories in China, with Vietnam a close second at 26%, and Cambodia producing 16%.

It plans to cut 500 corporate positions globally by the end of the second quarter as part of a cost-cutting drive, Neubrand said in March.