Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

We all know the glamour of a successful designer's life comes at the price of much hard work but rarely do we experience a day in the life of these creative minds. Welcome to a video tour of Domenico and Stefano's atelier!

As one would expect there is much sketching, measuring, fitting and adjusting involved but hey, isn't that photographer Mariano Vicanco snapping away? And what better than a photoshoot with adorable pup Totò to enjoy a few minutes' break? A busy working day à la Dolce & Gabbana: work, work, work, quite a bit of fun and the essential dose of their trademark glamour!

 Selected moments from a day of stalking Domenico Dolce:

7.30am: coffee and papers, "I an super curious, I read everything, even local papers."

9am: another coffee in his local, the glamourous Bar Martini, where Domenico now and then comes across some rather interesting fans (such as the one who suggested the last collection had been designed by Madonna... may we suggest there was more in that punter's cup than just coffee?)

9.30am: hitting the "office" (a lovely little flat complete with red velvet sofas, artworks and books) where his e-mails generally await(on paper rather than onscreen , Domenico prefers direct contact: "I don't use a computer and I banned e-mails: if someone has something to tell me they can get on the phone and talk to me".

10am: new entry on the design team and Domenico covers the essentials who's no fan of erasers... "If you need an eraser it means you're unsure and what comes out of it will be deprived of personality, thegarment of doubt." Then Domenico puts his businessman cap on and looks at sales report and gains a better understanding of what his customers want (the ladies know what they want and can be hard to please!)

1,30pm: lunch in the office with Stefano (food courtesy of their private chef), with whom Domenico reckons they have become a single entity, "Mistaking us is the rule, they even call us Dolceandgabbana. Even once in hospital: 'Look, it's Dolceandgabbana!' the nurse said when she saw me." Nowadays they have team work down to a t, and more so than designing them they tell each other the story of the garments.

2pm: back to work, I cut and sow; for a while I won't even let Stefano go near the clothes. "We divide tasks: each one works on his own and then in the later stages shares it with the other: an external eye see all the flaws." And it's all about understanding the customer's desires: "You need to think ahead but not overly cutting-edge: edgy enough so that people find in store what they want in that moment."

7.30pm: at the gym, before a film night at home (most nights, as Domenico likes to design with the television on); otherwise on social occasions he will go to a football match, to the Scala, to see a musical or watch a film at the cinema.

 

 

Selected moments from a day of stalking Stefano Gabbana:

 

7.30am: just woken up and already working out! Stefano loves swimming and boxing though winters are all about skiing in Courmayeur.

8.30am: no big dilemmas as to what to wear. Stefano likes his jeans, which he will often wear with boots and jumpers. "I dress for practicality, it's something you learn when working 24/7."

9am: Stefano gets to the office, reads e-mails and browses sites such as style.com before getting on the phone to the Press and Celebrity offices (today is all about preparing for the Brits). Then Stefano gets on with the various fittings and rehearsals before the approaching catwalk show.

10.30am: a moment's break out of the office to greet the three labradors, Dali, Rosa and newcomer Totò.

12pm: Stefano too reads the sales reports received from the various stores. "Knowing what happens in store is essential: the customers tell you exactly what they want, they let you know when you're making mistakes. Then online media such as Twitter act as a warning. The fashion industry and magazines have their own vision: sometimes they'll put forward things the market isn't actually interested in."

2pm: after a quick lunch it's back to work, with an effort always to listen to the assistants.

3pm: fitting with a pop singer. "Domenico and mine's obsession is top quality in the cut and finish of the garment. I also go in store to check everything is in order, I cut loose threads: our clothes need to be cut impeccably. It's the trademark Italian quality: our customers pay for this besides the design aspect."

8pm: a long day's work (with further reunions and looking at other aspects of the brand) is drawing to a close and Stefano is quick to establish the truth on the so-called highlife : "People need to forget about that myth of designers leading a high society life; my last glamourous gala was in Cannes back in May 2009. I hate oysters and don't drink champagne."

around 9 or 10pm: dinner with friends, often a tGold. Once a week to the cinema, an ppera now and then but no television.

before going to sleep: "I always read before falling alseep." That would be when he doesn't play with his beloved iPhone.

 

 

*Fancy seeing more of the designers at work days before the carwalk shows? Stay tuned for the return of Swide's exclusive previews...*

 

 Aurelie Bellavigna

 

Source and credits: Corriere della Sera

TAGS: domenico dolce stefano gabbana dolce&gabbana dolce e gabbana designers atelier studio preparations runway show catwalk show fall/winter 2010 fall 2010 winter 2011 f/w 2010-11 womenswear totò tefano's dog mariano vivanco 20th anniversary corriere della sera swide video models photoshoot collection