22. August 2022

Dolce&Gabbana: Men’s Jewellery Box

Dolce&Gabbana high jewellery for men created by Italian craftsmen and goldsmiths reveals aspects of vanity, worth and business in men’s fashion

This July, Italian luxury brand Dolce&Gabbana chose Siracusa in Italy for its Alta Moda (fashion), Alta Gioielleria (jewellery) and Alta Sartoria (couture) shows for men. The choice of the location wasn’t incidental. The Alta Sartoria show took place in Marzamemi, known as a culturally hybrid spot—at the southern tip of Sicily, it is called the ‘pearl of the Mediterranean’ and has remnants of Arab culture.

In conceptual sync, the Alta Sartoria collection called ‘Siracusa’ with male models in high jewellery—gold armours, long chains, bejewelled face masks, Sicilian pendants, cuffs and rings—was inspired by an ancient legend of the Calafarina cave. The story goes that an Arab princess hid here during a siege of the island by the Normans in 1061. This princess brought extravagant treasures along with her. The D&G jewels collection are inspired by this story and its fantastical possibilities. The show took place at a tuna fishery with folkloric references in dance, song and set up.

In line with The Voice of Fashion’s Man-Affluence fourth anniversary special issue that focusses on men’s fashion and highlights several cultural ideas, the other images are a selection from D&G’s numerous watch and jewellery collections for men, from previous years. The brand has been consistently invested in precious jewellery, with watches created in collaboration with Swiss timepiece artisans and technologists and sculptors, engravers and jewellers from Italy. The gold jewellery is crafted by Italian goldsmiths.

Casa D&G in Milan, the “mansion” of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, is lit up with maximalist couture, jewellery, ornate collections, accessories and décor. It houses permanent jewellery and couture pieces as exhibits in rooms specifically created and designed for them—a green onyx room for men’s high jewellery and rose quartz chambers for women’s jewellery.

This photo feature is symbolic of all that goes into a man’s jewellery box. Sometimes locked away for ever as “too precious”, at other times, the crowing jewel of a collection like ‘Siracusa’.

Pendant and watch from D&G Alta Gioielleria, ‘Siracusa 2022’.

Display of different pieces of precious jewellery from ‘Siracusa 2022’ styled and photographed by D&G inside the Grotta dei Cordari a cave in Syracuse in Italy.

An image from the Making of D&G’s Monreale series for Alta Orologeria July 2022.

Monreale, Manual wrist watch with minute repeator and flying Tourbillon. Hand-engraved dial in malachite, jasper, mother of pearl, glass and gold leaf, with leather strap.

Human Hands for watch hands: from the making of the Monreale watch series for Alta Orologeria by D&G, July 2022.

Red and not just Rubies: The Leone Alto watch from the D&G Orologeria, July 2022. A manual-mechanical wristwatch in 18 carat gold case, with gold screws, Sapphire glass, ruby dial, hand painted gold clock hands, rubies and diamonds with a genuine leather strap.

The making of the Atlanticus watch for Alta Orologeria, July 2022.

Rings, watch, chain and pendant in precious gemstones and handcrafted jewels from Alta Gioielleria 2020 held in in Milan.

Precious, high jewellery for men, rings from Alta Sartoria held in Florence in 2020.

Stickpin brooch in yellow and white gold with rhodolite garnets, rubies, emeralds and diamonds from Alta Moda, 2019, Milan.

A making of image from Alta Gioielleria processes at D&G ateliers.

A making of image from Alta Orologeria processes at D&G Ateliers.