Dolce & Gabbana unveil romantic moods
Fashion Desk

Dolce and Gabbana had themselves a great day, starting with a standing ovation for their Spring-Summer 2006 collection and ending with a lavish party for 2,000 guests that included Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.
The designing duo known for a Mediterranean exuberance that translates into hot and sexy styles on the runway, celebrated 20 years on the fashion scene Thursday and did not hold back for the occasion.
“We are happy and we want everyone to join in the fun,” Stefano Gabbana said before the party in a converted warehouse on Milan’s outskirts. The champagne flowed and people hit the gilded dance floor as 100 bare-breasted dancers from the famed Paris Lido cabaret, in their customary feathered costumes, danced on a stage with larger-than-life D and G initials flashing in the background.
The highlight was an hour-long performance by pop singer Donna Summer, who said she hoped to make it a “magic evening” for her friends Stefano and Domenico. Berlusconi, whose 69th birthday was Thursday, arrived with his daughter and members of the Milan soccer team, which he owns and whose uniforms were designed by Dolce&Gabbana.
The fashion duo presented their collection earlier in the day at their brand new $25 million venue carved out of an ex-movie house in downtown Milan. The show started with a seven minute, black-and-white movie of their shows from the past two decades.
The focus was on the early years, when such supermodels as Linda Evangelista and Claudia Schiffer highlighted the black bustier look that turned the staid Milan catwalk into a steamy street scene, and marked the beginning of the duo’s success story.
The screen then rolled up to reveal a stage decorated with bales of hay, two live white goats and a funky crystal chandelier hanging from a rafter as a reminder of the sizzle beneath the “down on the farm” theme.
The milk-maiden-style outfits in gingham plaids, field flower prints, white lace and ruffled chiffon were all about a frolic in the hay, underlined by the tussled hairstyles of the models.
Southern belle corsets tied in demure white satin ribbons, and the frilly gowns with wide hoop skirt had all the fire of the “Gone with the Wind” heroine Scarlet O’Hara.
When the two designers took their bow on the runway holding hands and wearing proper suits — a far cry from their usual jeans attire — the crowd rose to its feet in appreciation for the collection and as a tribute to the two young men who started young and successfully climbed the fashion ladder.
Earlier Thursday, Donatella Versace presented one of her best collections in recent seasons, sensual and sophisticated but devoid of sexy overkill. The thrust of the collection was clear from the opening series of daytime, sandy beige outfits featuring shorts or slim trousers tapered at the ankle under small jackets or loose three-quarter coats. Far from the notorious Versace hipbone hemline, the new skirt demurely covers the knee in both dresses and skirts.
Versace drew inspiration from America’s pool-side scenes and desert landscapes for her color scheme, using sparkling blue swimming pools, palm trees and cactus plants for her soft chiffon prints. Evening was dedicated to the famed Versace mermaid gown, this round minus the sequin and skin tight shapes. Instead, the intricately worked chiffon often in soft rainbow hues as well as the desert prints caressed the body but never grabbed it.
Also Thursday, Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi departed from his customary aggressive style of studded leather and spike heels to show a soft and unfussy collection. The leather craftsmanship Fendi is known for came out in the white leather jackets and dresses worked to look like lace. The same leather lace was used for the new Fendi bag.
Overall, the show spoke of summer romance with wide patent leather belts cinching delicate waistlines and demure ballerina footwear. Roberto Cavalli on Friday also toned down his usual over-the-top sexy look for his summer 2006 style. The catwalk background depicting an Arabian tent complete with palm trees set a mood of mystery rather than romance.