Dolce & Gabbana’s tropically transgressive chic

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jun 15, 2019

Military mode with a tropical transgressive twist at Dolce & Gabbana, in a snappy yet sensual show on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Milan.
 

Enough khaki to fit out a British expedition up the North West Frontier, or a remake of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' up the Nile, though lovingly paired with lots of faux big cat prints and feminine fabrics.
 
Betty Grable and a string of WWII pin-up gals sewn onto one third of the looks in this rambling and over-long show. These naughty gals wittily subverted the regimental vibe; placed on emblems, medallions or honors on corporals' shirts or mesh jackets. The duo even added the wartime sweethearts onto pointy shoes or winkle-picker Chelsea boots.

At times, there was a 'White Hunter Black Heart' sensibility with safari jackets paired with cheetah-print shirts with matching socks. For an elegant supper on the veldt, a snakeskin jacket worn with stock. For a cocktail in Tijuca Forest inside Oscar Niemeyer’s villa, some fab parrot fantasy prints. All staged on a giant leopardskin-style catwalk before an immense backdrop that looked lifted from a tropical greenhouse.
 
Driven on by a ramping African techno soundtrack from Jambo, starring Takagi & Ketra, Omi & Giusy Ferreri, this was a fine show with plenty of pep and humor that climaxed sportingly.

A half-dozen model athletes – from football, basketball or baseball – all wearing the faux uniform of a team called the 'Tropical Rangers'. Except, they were all made of confetti lace. In a word, risqué transgender sports heroes, and fashion commenting on our times.