Dolce & Gabbana in Florence

Florence has been chosen to hold the world’s first fashion events since before the pandemic struck.

On September 2, 38 artisans in Florence and Tuscany displayed their arts as Dolce & Gabbana paid tribute to Florence and Tuscany in their Alta Gioielleria, Alta Sartoria and Alta Moda creations.

Spread over three days, the events are being held in multiple locations in Florence. On September 2, the brand displayed its haute jewellery designs in the cloister of the world’s oldest pharmacy, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, while the much-awaited tailored menswear’s show took place in the Palazzo Vecchio’s Salone dei Cinquecento, alongside works by Florentine craftspeople. Medici-style silk gowns, Renaissance-inspired tunics, Florentine paper briefcases and commesso purses, jewelled slippers and wicker baskets of Chianti Classico were presented on a carpeted fleur-de-lis, the symbol of Florence, under the watchful eye of Cosimo I. The show was a declaration of intent: Italy’s fashion, arts and crafts are back in business, and more creative than ever. 

The fashion house’s womenswear designs were revealed in an outpouring of opulence and optimism in the gardens of Villa Bardini on September 3, alongside a spectacular firework display.

Haute menswear runway by Dolce & Gabbana in Florence’s Salone del Cinquecento / ph. Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence

“Florence is considered to be the capital of fashion. But this isn’t just a fashion event; it’s an event for the city,” explained Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence, at the press conference. He continued, “This is a visionary event. We have to be visionary and react in an extraordinary way. We can’t use the ordinary tools of the past.”

In addition to the 38 craftspeople involved in the showcase, which goes by the title of Il Rinascimento e la Rinascita (Renaissance and Rebirth), more than 50 companies in Tuscany across a range of sectors, including logistics, catering and accommodations, have been contracted to service the fashion events, bringing a much needed boost in income.