When we last peeped Dolce and Gabbana’s fresh looks, it was Summer 2016, and they showed us molto sexy mammas. This time, they went with baby princesses.
In case you missed it, the last buzzy Dolce & Gabbana runway show was full of Boticelli-like women being picture perfect moms to the tune of “Mamma” by the Spice Girls. It wasn’t well-received by all because IRL, after you have a kid your boobs sometimes don’t go like that. At least we all have Chrissy Teigen’s #PSA’s about her stretch marks otherwise we’d be in the dark. Also of note: there was also a lovely companion message about what doesn’t constitute a natural birth, and thanks for that.
But the people vocalizing that Dolce & Gabbana’s mom-themed collection was an ever so slightly narrow definition of the joy of motherhood should have been more grateful because boy did they go back to Lolita-themed basics this go around.
Judging by their Fall 2016 show, if Dolce & Gabbana is your inspo, the world will look like a fairy-dust sprinkled dream world for kids who love hair bows, poofy sleeves, and looking like a doll. Maybe it’s just us, but this new display from Milan seems to go back to the well of society’s perverse desire to fetishize young women and infantilize the grown ones (in the way Bey intended to mean grown women.) To clarify, the Disney princess genre can be all good if it’s Brandi, Lupita, or anyone swanning around in a gown fit for a modern princess is doing it in a less literal way. But in an industry that overtly sells youth, this was even more of a helping of YOUNG=THE BEST than we’re used to.
Maybe it works as fantasy inspo if that’s your bag. And sure, like everything these boys do, it’s stunning. If the general motive behind this childhood fantasy is one that says, “be in touch with your unbridled childish wonderment,” more power to those who want this stuff on their Pinterest boards and radar.
Still, this feels like couture Halloween costumes only truly little women could wear. Is it us, or is everyone here dressed as an afterschool treat for a sex offender? What do you think?