Dolce & Gabbana is one of the most well-known design houses on the planet. The fashion powerhouse found its roots in Legnano in 1985, a product of a whirlwind romance between its two namesake designers when they met in Milan. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were in an LGBT relationship throughout the construction and expansion of their fashion-forward company, and over the years they’ve strived to support their fellow community members in a wide range of ways.
Partnering With LGBT Charities
In 2020, Dolce & Gabbana announced its intention to partner with the crucial LGBT charity The Trevor Project on a long-term basis. This charity is a leading resource for LGBT youth and offers members of the community access to resources and support that might otherwise be entirely out of their reach. By offering support and visibility to this rapidly growing charity, the design house is providing support to some of the community’s most vulnerable members.
Scholarships
The design house began a partnership with Point Foundation, one of the leading suppliers of scholarship opportunities for the LGBT community. The organization began in the early 2000s and now supports hundreds of students on an annual basis. The fashion design powerhouse works with the Point Foundation to help LGBT students facing serious hurdles to pursue an education in areas of fashion.
Drawing the Eye to Advocates
Dolce & Gabbana has a long history of drawing attention to outspoken advocates and allies. Among the most famous of these is Madonna herself. The design house began its climb to fame in 1985 through grueling work by both founders but lifted off in the early 1990s when the world-renowned pop star could be found wearing their unique, opulent dresses and accessories at nearly every red carpet event.
Madonna herself is not a member of the LGBT community, but over the years has proven herself the staunchest ally through thick and thin. From supporting fellow celebrities to come out of the closet to standing up to Russia and its homophobic laws, Madonna has stood time and time again against forces that would tear this community down. Dolce & Gabbana has supported her in turn over the years by always ensuring she looks her best and brightest every time she takes the stage.
Visibility
In the 1980s, being a part of the LGBT community was not as acceptable as it is in many places in the modern day. However, the duo that founded Dolce & Gabbana made no effort to hide either their sexuality or their relationship during their rise to fame. From their initial meeting until 2003 when the couple split, they were openly gay. This served to offer inspiration to those who might still be in the closet at the time due to concern of safety, and in more modern times serves as a beacon of gay success for those looking to make their way in the industry.
Forward Fashion
Over the years, Dolce & Gabbana has proven itself to be a staunch ally to the LGBT community in a wide array of ways, from big, sweeping gestures to small private policies.
