These days, the phrase "Alta Moda" has become synonymous with Dolce & Gabbana's fashion-fantastical extravaganzas and peak Italian craftsmanship. But 10 years ago, for the world beyond Italy, such sartorial heights were strictly delineated by haute couture and its Parisian stewards. "Not one person believed in our idea," says Domenico Dolce. "Especially its all-Italian soul."
The duo brought a swift end to that skepticism, though, with their first Alta Moda show, held at the 14th-century San Domenico convent in Taormina for a crowd of about a hundred. Like those that have followed, it was as much destination weekend as show: a consecration of the designers' Italian aesthetic and unapologetic glamour with amped-up bespoke fashion, bombastic jewels, and an inordinate dose of merrymaking. There was celebrity wattage (Scarlett Johansson, Stephanie Seymour). There was a performance of Bellini's opera Norma. It all fed a hunger for experiential fashion-a trend the brand was early to. And rather than hew to the strict tenets of French couture, it celebrated the designers' home country in all its fortissimo glory.
The most recent gala getaway, held in honor of the 10-year anniversary, was a fitting spectacle of pomp and circumstance in the Sicilian town of Syracuse. Before the Piazza del Duomo metamorphosed into an open-air stage and catwalk, a satin-frocked cast of dozens brought Pietro Mascagni's opera Cavalleria Rusticana to life. Actors were carried forth on golden altars in flamboyant silk mantillas. It was a glittering paean to Sicily, Dolce's home, and the setting for that first show back in 2012.
This story is from the November 2022 edition of ELLE US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2022 edition of ELLE US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Rebel Hearts
The best fashion is served family style. Model siblings-slash-fashion royalty Lily McMenamy and Eddy and Arthur Aldridge share an unbreakable bond. Here, they team rocker-chic staples with equally timeless Cartier Trinity jewelry.
Nicole Kidman
At Least We Can All Agree On Whether she's confronting the toughest emotions onscreen, raising millions to support women's causes, or putting on a pinstriped suit to help save the movies, the Expats star brings people together.
WOMEN OF IMPACT
Write a poem. Build a business. Use your megaphone with no apologies. As our 2024 honorees show, there are endless ways to make positive change.
Breast Surgery, Augmented
Is \"internal bra\" surgery the stuff that braless dreams are made of?
BRITISH INVASION
Kit Kemp's signature hotel design, a madcap take on English tradition, is taking over New York.
FULL CIRCLE
As Tory Burch celebrates 20 years, her sense of mission is stronger than ever.
CACTUS FLOWER
The minds behind Desserto are spinning the desert plant into (eco-friendly) gold.
MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION
A new book gives an inside look at fashion's most ardent archivists, from Michèle Lamy to Azzedine Alaïa.
MORE IS MORE
A maximalist season kicks off with embellished bags, intricately decorated vases, and high-flown takes on ceremonial jewelryas seen here in the medals and aiguillettes of creative director Claire Choisne's latest high jewelry lineup for Boucheron. High Jewelry Collection Histoire de Style, The Power of Couture, Boucheron, boucheron.com.
La Nuova BELLEZA
Confident, sexy, and at the height of the fashion world. Italian supermodel Vittoria Ceretti demonstrates how to dress for seduction in spring's sheer.feminine slipdresses and body-conscious looks from luxury labels in Italy and beyond.