Dolce & Gabbana to unveil Alta Moda collections and 'new Casa project' in Venice

The design duo will present their latest homage to Italian craftsmanship in August

Stefano Gabbana, right, and Domenico Dolce will present a number of new collections next month

Dolce & Gabbana was among the first fashion brands to make a return to physical runway shows, most recently presenting its men's spring / summer 2022 collection in Milan in June.

“Fashion is emotion," co-founder Stefano Gabbana said backstage before the show. “We experimented last season with a digital show. It is not the same. It was without adrenalin.”

The duo have now announced they will be back with their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, Alta Gioielleria and Alta Orologeria collections in August.

A celebration of Italian craftsmanship and Dolce & Gabbana’s answer to Paris’s haute couture, the women’s, men’s, high jewellery and timepiece collections will be unveiled over a three-day event in Venice, from August 28 to 30, in front of loyal clients and international press.

Venice will act as the backdrop to Dolce & Gabbana's latest creations. Courtesy Israel Ferrera

Some of the most recognisable landmarks in the city will act as the backdrop to the duo’s latest creations, which will pay tribute to the area’s rich creative and artistic heritage, as well as local manufacturing.

The brand also teased the launch of a “new Dolce & Gabbana Casa project”.

Dolce & Gabbana launched Alta Moda in Taormina in 2012, and has since unveiled its collection in various regions in Italy, using the fashion extravaganza as an opportunity to showcase the culture, creativity and specific character of various parts of the country.

For its 2019 Alta Moda collection, Dolce & Gabbana looked to ancient Greece for inspiration. Courtesy Dolce & Gabbana

In 2020, the duo were forced to unveil their Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria offerings via a digital runway show, but still offered up all their rich, evocative hallmarks. Filled with the tangy colours of Italian fruit, against rich reds and sky blues, the women's pieces were a delight to behold.

Like wonderful postcards, many dresses were decorated with sketches of coastal cities and, in a youthful twist, scarves normally tied at necks were instead made into entire dresses, and used to line the underside of huge, floppy hats.

Inspired by the term "bel paese", meaning beautiful country, the men's collection continued the trip around Italy, through Portofino, Capri, Amalfi and Como.

We won’t have to wait long until Venice is paid its due.