‘Campioni’ brings together the worlds of football and art through the lens of Domenico Dolce in images that pay homage to the young athletes’ physical attributes while subtly revealing something of their real character and personality.

A labour of love by Mr. Domenico Dolce, the portraits are based on a visual dialogue between the photographer and subject. A testament to Dolce&Gabbana’s passion for football and sport, ‘Campioni’ marries the disparate worlds of football and fashion in a way that is uniquely Italian. Characterised by the Italian love of football as the masculine expression of beauty and artistry in the everyday, this book becomes a capturing of the Italian aesthetic.

‘I strongly believe in this book. With my images I wanted to pay tribute to the strength and innocence of these players and at the same time I wanted to realise one of my dreams; to take photographs’, said Mr. Dolce.

Some of these footballers are up-and-coming, others are established names but all are possessed of pure talent that expresses itself on the pitch, the portraits are a look at the young men behind the talent.

Football is the dream of so many young men and these men will make it, not only through their talent, for talent is nothing without hard work and sacrifice. Through their hard work and commitment they are destined to realise their full potential and light up the future of football. This book captures them on the beginning of their long journey towards greatness.

‘In Domenico’s photos, fashion and sport meet and confront each other. They talk about style and male aesthetic. His images do not promote a product, they are portraits. They speak to the heart,’ added Stefano Gabbana.

The book supports AriSLA, Research Foundation for ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

by Hugo Mc Cafferty