DOLCE & GABBANA´S COOL FASHION
Dolce & Gabbana are synonymous for presenting less than subtle tributes to their Italian ancestry, which usually features heavy references to the magical island of Sicily across their hierarchy of charming couture. However, more recently their diversification of creating ´covetable, every day objects´ has been winning them some serious fashion points (think back to the last collection and the $9,000 Rihanna headphones which sold out within the month).However, their most recent venture and association will cement them as the masters of cool fashion. Quite literally.
Stefano and Domenico have joined forces with Italian appliance kings, Smeg to create a range of 100 limited edition 1950´s inspired FAB28 refrigerators which will all be signed, numbered and hand painted by specially commissioned Sicilian artists chosen personally by the design duo to give each appliance a fresh, quirky Mediterranean touch in keeping with the somewhat whimsical style of the Milanese fashion houses most recent runway and advertising campaign offerings.
However cool these couture chillers may look, they do come with a hot price of around €30,000 and will be available for pre order from Smeg and Dolce & Gabbana from 12th April during the annual Milan’s famed furniture fair Salone del Mobile. “These are really the perfect collector’s pieces,” quoted Gabbana. “And even though our companies are in different sectors, there are still similarities, like a passion for creativity and innovation, attention to quality and details, and, of course, a love of Italy and Italian-made products.”
¨Every piece is unique, but they all tell a story consistent with our brand identity. They might be kitchen appliances, but there’s something that is immediately identifiable as Dolce & Gabbana, from the Sicilian barrows to the Trinacria symbol to the marionettes to the Italian lemons and fruits”- Domenico Dolce
This is just another example of how high end fashion designers are building their brand architecture models to now include home furnishings and appliances in accordance with their ´total lifestyle branding´ strategies. The main question now is; will people pay tens of thousands of Euros for a fridge? Well, if this collaboration is anything like the Rihanna headphone reference, then we’re guessing the 100 pieces will fly off the stands before you can say ´Mama Mia! ´
Article: Charles Daniel McDonald
Photography: Dolce & Gabbana / Smeg
