WWD: Dolce & Gabbana RTW Fall 2012

"Romantic Baroque." That was the ruse for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana's collection, a motif rich with material from the island they adore, Sicily. The designers established the tone with an elaborate installation — their runway under the glow of 16 massive two-tier chandeliers, wrapped in flowers and festooned. The girls emerged from a huge gilded picture frame, also done up with flowers. Moody and fanciful, the set sent the message that here would be no minimalist musings. But then, who would expect that from Dolce and Gabbana? Which has become a problem. Not that the designers don't do minimal, but that they have ceased to unsettle our expectations. "We're always asked to be ourselves," Dolce said before the show. "The challenge is to remain true to Dolce & Gabbana while renewing ourselves, so we work on materials and research." For the full review: http://bit.ly/xtEIWa