Dolce & Gabbana is back to celebrating modern colours, styles and fabrics, paying tribute to the 2000s era. For Spring 2022, the Italian fashion powerhouse wants you to live the best life you possibly can, following a year of joggers and soup-stained tees.

Dolce & Gabbana came back to the runway with its latest ‘DG Light’ Spring 2022 show, which was an exercise in giving us all the things we were gagging for after a year of on-and-off lockdown. The collection aimed to push the boundaries of joy and optimism in a celebration of the 2000s, presenting essential silhouettes blended with hyper volumes, mix & match styles, and iconic and sexy confidence. It was certainly a ‘reinterpretation of the aesthetic codes of the 2000s’ and the references certainly are not subtle. 

Stefano & Domenico Gabbana said they had drawn inspiration from the early 2000s when their exuberant designs broke with the dominant minimalist style. “We thought we’d do something not similar, but in the same mood as that 2000 collection. We’re coming out of a dark time” – meaning the pandemic – “and we want to enjoy life. We want light,” backstage Gabbana said.

The collection took place on a long mirrored runway at the Metropol in Milan with a disco-like atmosphere, showing off updated archive pieces and reinvented old staples and elements for the elusive Gen-Z. G-strings and bralettes, micro bolero, Saharan jackets, flirty embellished miniskirts, lingerie-style lace blouses, and cargo pants, for instance. These were mixed with embellished denim sets, flowers, butterfly-like shoulders, animalier prints, lace, zebra-print shirts with outrageous architectural sleeves, and little sequin mini dresses. 

Moreover, throughout the collection, the show’s ‘light’ theme came into play via reflective embellishments, from all-over sequins and shiny jacquard, to gemstone-studded purple jeans.

The 60s decade was present too, mainly in the form of a mini shift dress with matching go-go boots. The 80s popped up in a slashed-neck, tie-dye Jennifer Lopez tee and also in a couple of giant ruffled shirt shoulders.