Which Italian luxury fashion house was founded by two designers in 1985?

Dolce & Gabbana is the Italian luxury fashion house founded by designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in 1985. Their partnership became one of Italy’s most influential fashion labels.

Dolce and Gabbana met in 1980 while working for designer Giorgio Correggiari. They established a fashion consulting studio in 1982, then formally created their own design business in 1985. Their first collection debuted in October 1985 at Milan’s New Talents show.

The early company operated with very limited resources. For the 1986 “Real Women” collection, friends served as models, wore their own accessories, and helped stage the presentation. Dolce’s Sicilian background became a major influence on the label’s identity, alongside references to Italian cinema, family, lingerie, and sharply shaped tailoring.

Dolce & Gabbana is sometimes confused with D&G, its younger, more casual diffusion line. The two labels operated separately for years, but D&G was folded into the main brand in 2011. The house later expanded into menswear, fragrances, eyewear, jewellery, and cosmetics.