On the runway at Milan Men’s Fashion Week, Dolce & Gabbana staged a distinctly Mediterranean awakening with its Spring/Summer 2027 collection, “Sicilian Holidays”. The show unfolded as a veritable “Sicilian fresco”. The setting at the Metropol evoked a Mediterranean terrace with columns reminiscent of ancient temples. In the background, a large LED wall displayed images of the Taormina coastline and Mazzarò Bay (places close to the brand’s heart), which changed color to simulate the transition from sunset to sunrise.
Everything in this show sprung from and returned to Sicily: a constant, vibrant presence in the brand’s imagination. This land, a crossroads of peoples and cultures, came to life in Milan not as mere folklore but as a sophisticated mosaic of influences, craftsmanship and contrast of light that defined a unique and timeless masculine elegance.
The collection presented at Milan’s Metropol thus returned to where it all began, at a time when the company is frequently in the news for financial and corporate matters, following Stefano Gabbana’s decision to step down as chairman of the brand he founded with Domenico Dolce, and recent rumors that the company is poised to sell properties to reduce its debt.
“The fashion show is a statement of intent, a synthesis of who we are and where we want to go,” emphasized Stefano Cantino, who was appointed co-CEO last April alongside Alfonso Dolce.
“The starting point for building a new chapter of business and a new era,” all while never betraying the codes that have underpinned the brand’s success.
The show opened with a relaxed aesthetic: the first models walked barefoot in white and powder-blue dressing gowns, ultra-light silk pajamas and knitwear sets designed for the beach. As the virtual sun rose, the collection moved into city-ready looks designed to withstand the heat: laser-cut suits, fluid tunics and wide-leg trousers.
Jackets came with straight lapels and unusual back panels that unbutton for maximum ventilation. Craftsmanship shone through in woven-leather jackets with matching footwear, as well as in signature coral-bead and rhinestone embroidery on denim. The brand’s historic religious motifs returned, from rosary necklaces to iconic T-shirt prints.
“For us,” explained the two designers, who took their bow together at the end of the show, “Sicily has never been a trend; it is not just a destination, nor a passing fascination, but the place where it all began—a place where everyone is welcome—and to which, for nearly forty years, we have naturally continued to return. Its traditions, its culture, its extraordinary heritage of craftsmanship, but also its landscapes, its architecture and the traces of the civilizations that have passed through it, are an inexhaustible source of inspiration. With this collection, we wanted to capture the richness and complexity of this land, exploring its places, memories and traditions: from the Greek temples to the Baroque architecture of the Val di Noto, from the villages overlooking the sea to the ancient crafts preserved in artisans’ workshops.”
And then, from the mosaics of Monreale to the amphitheater of Taormina, between sea and stone, light and shadow, this summer vision from Dolce & Gabbana took shape in a fluid, lightweight wardrobe, featuring knit polo shirts and tailored Bermuda shorts, silk swim shorts and shirts with postcard prints and lemon motifs, pinstriped suits and coppola caps, jackets with shimmering embroidery of corals and sea anemones, distressed jeans and lace shirts, fishing-net-effect pieces, and sparkling embellishments reminiscent of Sicilian carts.
Polo shirts, jackets, and even classic shirts were reinterpreted through the language of knitwear. Silk swim shorts, crochet work, chevron-striped jumpers and tailored linen jackets drew inspiration from the travelers who discovered Sicily between the 1950s and the early 1960s. Postcard prints and lemon motifs enriched the collection with a vivid repertoire of images and memories.
Sicilian black evoked the island’s intensity and rigor; white its lighter, brighter side; blue recalled the sea; green evoked pistachio; and natural beiges recalled rope and time-honored craft techniques handed down through the ages. It was a rich collection because Sicily is rich: a mosaic of influences, traditions and contrasts.
“The need to rethink ourselves does not necessarily entail revolutions,” the CEO added. “We will make important organizational choices, but we are a company of 6,000 employees, and changes must be made with coherence. What remains unchanged,” Cantino emphasized, dispelling the rumors that arose after Gabbana’s resignation, “is that Dolce and Gabbana are the owners, and both are deeply involved in a company that needed change.”
A new chapter that will involve the development of product categories such as women’s eveningwear, men’s made-to-measure tailoring and accessories—which, not coincidentally, will be among the centerpieces of the upcoming “Sicilian Holidays”.
The show closed with a wave of all-white looks—crystal-embellished and quintessentially summery. In the finale, Stefano Gabbana walked the runway wearing a commemorative T-shirt featuring Madonna‘s face from the project “Confessions II – The Film”, for which Dolce & Gabbana created the entire stage wardrobe.
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