WHILE most of the other top Italian fashion labels struck a more practical, sombre note for their Autumn/Winter 2009 collections earlier at Milan Fashion Week in March, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana thumbed their noses at the sinking economy and put on a star-studded, flamboyant show.
'Diva Overload at Dolce!' twittered one Twitterer, who cited starlets like Scarlett Johansson, Freida Pinto, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Naomi Watts, Claudia Schiffer, and Eva Herzigova - all of whom posed for shots at the show.
Once the models started strutting down the red carpeted runway however, the spotlight was on the fashion: Over-sized, puffy sleeves and structural shoulders (designed to hold up the weight of the economy?) with hints of Surrealism inspired by Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray.
That presence of glamour will certainly set the label apart when Dolce&Gabbana sets up its 500 sq m flagship store at Ion Orchard.
The flagship will replace the one at Hilton Hotel, still managed by Club21, and the move fits right into the group's plans to expand their Asian business. In addition to Singapore, plans are underway to open three more monobrand stores in Beijing, Macau and Shanghai by 2010, says Cristiana Ruella, the Dolce&Gabbana group managing director and board member in an e-mail interview.
The group currently has 20 monobrand points of sale in Asia, excluding Japan. 'The monobrand store is fundamental for the establishment of the brand in Asia because that's how we 'transmit' the proper Dolce&Gabbana image and the richness of its collections,' she points out.
Expect the same design concept you see in Dolce&Gabbana boutiques all over the world, with a few twists to give it a Singapore identity. 'The shared elements will be the black Murano chandeliers, made of a very specific kind of black, exclusive for our stores, the steel chains or the basaltina (volcanic stone) floors,' says Ms Ruella. Distinctive elements include the big plasma wall in the Osaka boutique or the double escalators mounted by two plasma video screens in the Milanese store.
The Asian market has done well for the group - especially with its understanding of luxury products, says Ms Ruella. In 2008, wholesale revenues in this market increased by 23 per cent with respect to 2007.
But given that greater China and the rest of Asia still contribute single digit percentages to group earnings, they represent a notable amount of unexploited potential still, she notes.
Especially with Dolce&Gabbana expanding its luxury universe into lifestyle and even sports - not a bad strategy if you're known for avant garde women's couture - in order to grab their share of the men's market.
Dolce&Gabbana designs and produces all the uniforms for AC Milan for example, and the official uniforms of the Italian National Team for the 2008 European championship. The label also creates and produces athletic uniforms for the Milano Beach soccer, an amateur athletic society.
No wonder then that Dolce&Gabbana extended its historic Milanese palace boutique at Corso Venezia for its men's Gym and Underwear collections, throwing in a Martini Bar and 'Il Barbiere' - a barber shop - as well.
During Milan Fashion Week in March this year, it launched its Dolce&Gabbana make-up, celebrating the occasion by sponsoring a photo exhibition - 'Extreme Beauty' - with American vogue magazine, designed and art-directed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel.
'We created the make-up line to meet consumer demand,' says Ms Ruella. 'We believe that the market is ready for a unique, luxury glamour cosmetics line from Dolce&Gabbana. It is a hot brand with dedicated followers. Our fragrances have performed very well on a global basis and there is a strong push from the market for a broader beauty offering.'
'Even during this recessionary period, we have grown our share globally,' she points out.
All this expansionary activity certainly indicates that the recession might just be a tiny bump in a fashionista's quest for yes, extreme beauty - so it might be too early yet to knock Dolce&Gabbana for its over-the-top Autumn/Winter collection. It sure looks like they've pegged the luxe shopper's psyche right: That when times are tough, the tough go shopping.
This article was first published in The Business Times
