A flurry of hats, scarves, and gloves bobbed along Viale Piave in Milan, as Dolce & Gabbana prepared to unveil its highly anticipated Fall 2025 Menswear collection. Beneath an uncharacteristically gray sky and in brisk, frosty weather, the iconic Italian house once again extended its signature invitation to il popolo, welcoming guests to discover the latest creations from Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
Walking up to the venue’s gates, guests lined up, invitation cards in hand, which featured bold lettering presumed to reveal the collection’s title: Paparazzi. Inside, ticket holders found themselves greeted by a Bordeaux-hued runway slicing the space neatly into two halves. As the crowd shuffled in and the atmosphere thickened with anticipation, the lights dimmed, the speakers roared to life, and the crimson curtains dramatically lifted. Revealed on either side of the catwalk were two matching packs of—you guessed it—paparazzi, poised and ready, mirroring each other in perfect symmetry.
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With every model’s stride, the paparazzi’s shutters clicked incessantly, recreating the frenzy that had unfolded just moments earlier outside, when celebrities arrived to a barrage of camera flashes. The spectacle on the runway mirrored the chaos at the venue’s entrance, leaving the audience with an uncanny sense of déjà vu.
Split into two acts, marked by the subsequent closing and re-opening of the mini-stage’s curtains, different categories of clothing were showcased from tuxedos and utilitarian-wear to classic cuts. At times laid-back and totally posh at others, Dolce & Gabbana’s latest offering was an exploration of proportion, tailoring, and style through a range that was as unpredictable as it was original. From three-piece tuxedos with wide pants to shouldered jackets, street-sweeping trousers, and oversized knits, the collection, through 69 looks, was a blend of contrasts that kept on giving.
Aesthetic-wise, retro vibes were felt all throughout, with some items screaming European fashion circa 1950. Picture a casual-luxe overcoat with a fur collar, thick-framed, square-lensed eyeglasses, leather bags, gloves, and shoes, as well as brown velvet suits, silky shirts, and pleated, or, flared pants. That said, other pieces were in tune with current trends, including preppy turtlenecks, loose-fit jeans, open-chest woolen jumpers, and leopard-print designs that, on a second glance, did also hint at the past, more specifically the early 2000s.
“There’s fur, leather, double-waisted pants–things that stray from what people usually expect from Dolce & Gabbana,” Dubai-based creative Bashar Belal commented after the show. “I feel like they’re trying to speak to a younger audience. As for the show, they nailed the ‘Paparazzi’ theme. It was very Italian, from the hairstyles and the suits to the setting. It took us back to a good time of fashion,” he added.
The new collection appears to take cues from the way an actor’s wardrobe transitions throughout the day—from day to night, formal to casual, and public to private. A sartorial nod to the fluidity of style and the roles we inhabit at any given moment, the collection’s eclecticism delivered the multifaceted edge Dolce & Gabbana clearly set out to achieve. Mission accomplished—Bravo.
