Dolce & Gabbana evoke the Dolce Vita during Milan Fashion Week

To bling, or not to bling is the eternal question at Dolce & Gabbana — and the designing duo had it both ways Saturday during the Milan Fashion Week menswear preview for the next cold weather season.

By COLLEEN BARRY

The Associated Press
January 18, 2025 at 6:48PM

MILAN — To bling, or not to bling is the eternal question at Dolce & Gabbana — and the designing duo had it both ways Saturday during the Milan Fashion Week menswear preview for the next cold weather season.

The elegant show invitation in winter-neutral Burgundy — suggested an understated collection and the runway silhouette was loose and effortless. Emblazoned with the word paparazzi, there was also a hint of look-at-me flash.

Evoking the Dolce Vita

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's collection for Fall/Winter 2025 evoked the Dolce Vita of easy men's dressing with two moods: pulled-together daytime casual and red (or make that burgundy) carpet/evening formalwear.

Denim jeans provided the clean canvas for statement outerwear: star-sized faux fur jackets, a leather bomber-trench combo and a long leopard coat. Knitwear with loose cargo pants were easy to wear, functional and contemporary. Except for a bright sequined jacket, the colors palette was timelessly and reassuringly neutral.

The essence of the daywear was distilled in a dark tank top worn with loose tweed trousers and matching cap, and a tech-bro gray T-shirt secured with double-belted trousers.

For evening or formal events, elegant suiting incorporating cummerbunds, tasseled silk scarves and wide lapels were accented with crystal brooches, all the better to glisten as two risers of paparazzi snapped from the runway.

Trend Watch

Watch for high-neck faux fur dickies, fastened with silken ribbons for extra warmth and luxury. Bow ties and brooches finishing suits — because why choose? Low-soled sneakers and mid-calf biker boots finish the looks. Capacious soft bags in high-end leathers suggest someplace to go. Key fobs on belt loops, reminders of home.

Paparazzi on the Inside, Fans on the Outside

Risers of flashing paparazzi set the mood inside the designers' Metropol theater.

Outside, Lucien Laviscount sprung like a gazelle over barriers and crossed tram tracks in front of the theater to greet cheering fans after the show. The ''Emily in Paris'' actor wore an elegant double-breasted pinstripe suit with gold neck chains, worthy of his stylish businessman character Alfie, as he signed autographs and snapped selfies.

Just as obliging but not quite as adventurous as the track-crossing Laviscount, South Korean actor Jung Hai-in, wearing a burgundy ensemble, and Thai actor Hirunkit Changkham, in black-and-white diagonally stripped knitwear and Bermuda shorts, also waved to screaming admirers before being driven away.

Front row guests also included James McAvoy, Levi Dylan and Rocco Ritchie.

about the writer

about the writer

COLLEEN BARRY

The Associated Press

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