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.



It’s Met Gala Time! Get Yourself Suitable with This Guide on What to Expect

Met Gala celebrity chair Lewis Hamilton speaks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute during a press conference October 9, 2024. (AFP)
Met Gala celebrity chair Lewis Hamilton speaks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute during a press conference October 9, 2024. (AFP)
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It’s Met Gala Time! Get Yourself Suitable with This Guide on What to Expect

Met Gala celebrity chair Lewis Hamilton speaks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute during a press conference October 9, 2024. (AFP)
Met Gala celebrity chair Lewis Hamilton speaks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute during a press conference October 9, 2024. (AFP)

As springtime sunshine finally hits New York City, the Met Gala beckons — one of the most anticipated and visible parties in the world.

This year, the theme — “Tailored For You" — is focused on classic tailoring. As always, the dress code is inspired by the spring exhibit at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the first Met show to focus exclusively on Black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme. The show looks at the evolution of Black style over the centuries through the lens of dandyism.

Here are some key things to know as fashion's biggest night approaches:

When is the Met Gala? The gala happens the first Monday in May — this year, May 5.

What exactly is the Met Gala? Not everyone knows that the gala is actually a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the only self-funding department at the Met. Last year the evening brought in a whopping sum of more than $26 million to the museum's coffers.

Was it always this big? Definitely not. It started in 1948 as a Manhattan society midnight supper – held at various places like the Waldorf Astoria and the Rainbow Room. It took many years before it turned into a global event and one of the starriest nights of the year.

Who's hosting the 2025 Met Gala? Each year brings a new group of celebrity co-chairs. This year they are Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, and A$AP Rocky — along with Anna Wintour, the influential Vogue editor who always oversees the proceedings. NBA superstar LeBron James is honorary chair.

Who else is attending the Met Gala so far? Word on attendees trickles out slowly in the weeks leading up to the event. But this year there’s also a huge additional host committee with stars from various fields. (They don’t have specific host duties, other than showing up and, it goes without saying, looking fabulous.)

It includes athletes Simone Biles and husband Jonathan Owens, Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson; filmmakers Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Regina King; and actors Ayo Edebiri, Audra McDonald and Jeremy Pope, and musicians Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Janelle Monáe and André 3000.

Also in the group are author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; artists Jordan Casteel, Rashid Johnson and Kara Walker; playwrights Jeremy O. Harris and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; and fashion figures Grace Wales Bonner, Edward Enninful, Dapper Dan and Olivier Rousteing.

Can anyone buy a ticket to the Met Gala? In a word: No. You cannot just buy a ticket. The right question is: If I were famous or powerful and got invited, how much would it cost?

If I were famous or powerful and got invited, how much would it cost? Individual tickets start at $75,000. Generally, though, companies buy tables. A fashion label, for example, would then host its desired celebrities. A table of 10 starts at $350,000 this year, as it did last year. There will be approximately 400 guests.

How strict is the dress code? The code is meant to be a guide, not a hard rule, and loose interpretation is encouraged.

How do guests spend the evening? Guests enter the museum and walk past an enormous flower arrangement in the museum’s grand lobby – always a talking point. Often there is an orchestra playing nearby. At the top of the grand staircase, Wintour and her co-hosts form a receiving line. Guests then head to view the exhibit, which is followed by dinner. The most hotly anticipated guests sometimes arrive around dessert time for maximum impact (we're looking at you, Rihanna).