WHO? Design duo Dolce & Gabbana
The Dolce & Gabbana Autumn/Winter 2012 show in Milan. Photo:PA
IN A NUTSHELL: From the second you walked in, you knew you were in for something special. Stunning real rose chandeliers hung from the ceiling alongside huge gold curtains, while an ornamental mirror (the same as pictured on the show invite) provided the backdrop. And in keeping with the decor (and Dolce being Dolce), dark florals were a key theme throughout the Baroque-inspired collection - which had everything from light romantic lace, sheer chiffon and layered tulle, to heavy velvet, floral tapestry and luxurious caped coats - plus very Victoriana lace-up boots, bloomers, veils and corsets. And oh! The finale. Renowned for their big finishes, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana sent a whole army of models in matching black and gold down the runway in threes and fours to close the show. We've never seen so many girls on one catwalk before - they must have snapped up every model going in Milan.
Models flood the runway during the Dolce & Gabbana show finale. Photo:Getty
BEG, BORROW OR STEAL: A rose floral prom dress was a dream to watch float down the runway, while some of the ornate platform heels were quite simply art in footwear form. For those with perfect pins, the tiny lace playsuits were adorable, while we also loved everything in the black and gold finale.
F-ROW: Dame Helen Mirren, Monica Bellucci, Anna Wintour, Anna Dello Russo, a heap of Italian socialites/former models and every international editor in Milan.
VERDICT: Everything, from the grandiose setting, to the operatic music, and the theatrical staging (literally - the chairs folded down like theatre seats, while some watched from balconies above the catwalk, and a curtain closed dramatically at the end of the finale) was everything one would expect from a Dolce & Gabbana spectacle. No expense spared here (particularly considering that this was the first season that they only had one show instead of two, following last year's decision to close D&G.) Slightly provocative, slightly sexy and seriously beautiful, it went down a storm with the often hard-to-please audience. Perhaps they were just wrapped up in the theatrics and the atmosphere, but hey, it was hard not to be. Let's face it, those Dolce & Gabbana boys know how to put on a good show.
More from the Dolce & Gabbana Collection below: