With many global luxury houses known to invest in grand, historied venues for their fashion shows, Dolce & Gabbana was no exception. On July 14, the house staged its latest Alta Moda collection at none other than the monumental Roman Forum, a location as rich in heritage as it is in drama.
The forum, once the political, economic and religious heart of ancient Rome, also served as the mythic battlefield where Romulus, the city’s founder, fought the Sabines. Given the classical influences woven throughout the collection, the venue felt like a natural, if not inevitable, choice.
On the outskirts of the catwalk, theatrics abounded. Actors lounged on the steps of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in colourful robes, a lyre player posed for photos with the guests while troupes of soldiers, veiled vestal virgins (a reference to Romulus’ mother Rhea Silvia, a priestess) and gilded headdress-clad performers lingered on constructed platforms. It was opulent and immersive, a hallmark of the brand’s 13-year-old Alta Moda line, known for its tight-knit circle of elite clientele and extravagant annual showcases.
The models paraded down the Via Sacra, the first street in ancient Rome, in a cinematic tribute to the Eternal City’s artistic and architectural lineage, spanning classical antiquity, the Renaissance and the Baroque. The opening look featured a deep-red velvet cape, draped over a strapless, intricately sequinned dress portraying Rome’s enduring symbol, the Capitoline wolf. Gowns in shades of chartreuse, burgundy, royal blue and magenta shimmered with gold accents and gilded, armoured corsets, reminiscent of Roman armour.
A signature of the Italian luxury house, opulence reigned supreme with brocade ensembles, antique-inspired embellishments and hand-beaded floral appliqués. Silhouettes spanned from glamorous 1950s-style A-line dresses to sculptural stolae, the traditional Roman draped dress, padded and moulded to echo classical statues.
A quartet of white gowns paid homage to the vestal virgins, with fabric artfully twisted and sculpted into weightless, three-dimensional drapery.
More obvious references of the city’s glorious classicism appeared in the form of a rendering of the Spanish Steps, depicted in a pastel appliqué on a swing coat dress, or St Peter’s Basilica, adorning a long, pegged skirt with an ornate gemstone bodice. An intricate, embellished outpouring of Italian patriotism, various iconic Roman architecture took centre stage, from the Colosseum and the Pantheon to the iconic Trevi fountain.
If the Alta Moda line is a showcase of the brand’s most sought-after and innovative products, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have shown that these pieces are more than couture, they’re spectacle, storytelling and collectability. And in the shadow of Rome’s ruins, they staged not just a fashion show, but a cinematic love letter to the Eternal City.
