Milan Fashion Week: Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2011 Collection

For those of us who thought hope chests were no longer culturally relevant, Dolce & Gabbana had other ideas for Milan Fashion Week. The idea of a hope chest – that is, a drawer or chest used by girls to store items in preparation for marriage – may be antiquated, but it was the source of inspiration for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in their Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2011 collection. Admittedly, if our hope chests contained these designs, we’d be a little anxious to get married, too – if only for the clothes.

Dressed almost exclusively in virginal white, the models exuded a romantic feeling in intricate lace and chiffon dresses. The sheath dresses, rompers, and baby-doll dresses were sweet and sexy, with glimpses of lingerie or corsets in anticipation of the wedding night. While the designers never strayed far from the concept, there were occasional, almost startling pops of black and leopard print. Even within the stream of white pieces there was variation – the experimentation with layering and embellished, and the use of a subtle green floral print, ensured that each was lovely and unique. But, like most shows featured in Milan Fashion Week, Dolce and Gabbana strayed  away from evening wear, keeping the length of most of their dresses at or just past the knee.

After celebrating their 25th year in business together, Dolce and Gabbana have certainly learned to focus on and hone what they do best. The Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2011 collection may have been inspired by a woman of a different era, but the exquisite pieces are sure to be adored by women here and now.

Photo Source: Elle.com