Review of Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2024 Men’s Fashion Show
D&G’s Distilled Style
By Mark Wittmer
Despite the screams of teenagers at the arrival of K-Pop stars and the street style devotees decked out in head-to-toe tiger print out front, what went on inside Dolce & Gabbana’s go-to venue of the Metropol theater was a relatively sober and subdued affair.
The collection felt like an even more focused continuation of last season, which saw D&G get away from their recent reputation for maximal glitz in favor of a monochrome distillation of contemporary tailoring trends.
That color palette (or lack thereof) is even more definitive here, with a tight adherence to black, white, gray, and a bit of brown. This focus puts the spotlight on the garments themselves, which largely synthesize inspirations from some of the brand’s leading contemporaries: we can feel the influence of Vaccarello and Slimane in the shoulder-forward, rakish elegance, while Piccioli comes through in the attention paid to drape and fluidity.
This latter motif comes out especially in the minimalist styling; sometimes a look is as simple as an oversized coat that billows beautifully accompanied by long underwear and low-profile boots that are practically socks (which will probably be the collection’s biggest seller).
The strongest looks outside of the realm of tailoring feature draping and wrapping of organza-like fabric that recalls the torsos of ancient Roman sculpture. Though they seamlessly blended into the collection, some pieces were pulled directly from the archives, and were emblazoned with the year of their first appearance. Very few logos were to be seen.
The pared back focus also gives room for the gorgeous material selection to breathe, with certain pieces embellished with embroidery and appliqué work forming the closes thing to craft ostentation in the collection.
Of note was the lack of accessories: in 80 or so looks there were two different bags, a simple tote and a simple handbag, and one randomly 1940s-gangster-esque hat.
The collection was focused, elegant, and subdued – not exactly the first adjectives that tend to come to mind when one thinks of Dolce & Gabbana. But the way the archive pieces were so effortlessly incorporated alongside the new seemed to say that this side of Dolce has always been present, even if it was shouted over by other, louder sides. It’s great to see the brand wisely encouraging us to listen more closely.