FASHION IS NOTHING IF NOT CATHOLIC IN ITS SOURCES OF INSPIRATION. SO IT IS HARDLY SURPRISING THE ITALIAN HOUSE OF DOLCE & GABBANA SHOULD HAVE TURNED TO THE ICONOGRAPHY OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM FOR ITS LATEST COLLECTION.
SHOWN TO STORE BUYERS and MEMBERS OF THE GLOBAL PRESS ON LAST ON SUNDAY EVENING, THE LABEL'S SPRING/SUMMER 1998 RANGE FEATURED PICTURES OF THE VIRGIN AND CHILD ON DRESSES, SACRED HEARTS SEWN IN SEQUINS ON TO SLIP TOPS, AND MIRACULOUS MEDALS SUSPENDED FROM DANGLING EAR-RINGS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A FASHION LABEL HAS BORROWED FREELY FROM A RELIGIOUS FAITH. TWO YEARS AGO, CHANEL CHANEL'S COUTURE LINE INADVERTENTLY BROUGHT THE WRATH OF ISLAM ON ITSELF By EMBROIDERING A VERSE FROM THE KORAN ON TO A BUSTIER.
THE PIECE WAS HASTILY DESTROYED AND AN ABJECT APOLOGY OFFERED TO ALL MUSLIMS. AND JUST LAST WEEK IN LONDON, THE ENGLISH DESIGN DUO, CLEMENTS RIBEIRO, SENT OUT INVITATIONS TO ITS SHOW IN THE FORM OF PRAYER CARDS REPRESENTING THE VIRGIN MARY WITH A MERMAID'S TALE. TAIL. A MIRACULOUS MEDAL WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PLASTIC ENVELOPE.
IF THE USE OF SUCH IMAGES CAUSES OFFENCE TO PRACTISING CATHOLICS, THEY TEND TO PRODUCE BARELY A RIPPLE OF RECOGNITION AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL FASHION CROWD. DESIGNERS TEND TO PILLAGE AN ECLECTIC ASSORTMENT OF PICTORIAL REFERENCES EVERY SEASON.
IN THE PAST, DOLCE & GABBANA HAVE DRESSED MADONNA. NOW, EVIDENTLY IN NEED OF DIVINE INSPIRATION, THEY ADDRESS THE MADONNA HERSELF THROUGH A SEQUENCE OF DRESSES HAND-PAINTED AND JEWELLED WITH IMAGES TAKEN FROM THE SENTIMENTAL RELIGIOUS WORK OF 17TH CENTURY ARTISTS SUCH AS GUIDO RENI. TOGETHER WITH THE SACRED HEART INSIGNIAS, THESE PICTURES WERE BLENDED WITH FAMILIAR DOLCE & GABBANA PIECES INCLUDING FLESH-COLOURED CORSETS, LONG BLACK SOUTANE-LIKE COATS AND GEORGETTE COVERED T-SHIRTS.
THE RESULTS WERE WIDELY APPLAUDED. THE INFLUENTIAL AMERICAN PUBLICATION WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY SUMMED UP THE GENERAL RESPONSE TO THE COLLECTION BY DESCRIBING IT AS "FABULOUS" AND "WITHOUT QUESTION THE BEST IN SEASONS".
AS FOR THE POTENTIALLY SACRILEGIOUS NATURE OF THE WORK, WWD SIMPLY POSES THE QUESTION "WHAT'S FASHION WITHOUT CONTROVERSY?".
RETAILERS AROUND THE WORLD WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE SHOW SEEMED EQUALLY UNTROUBLED ABOUT POSSIBLE OFFENCE. DOLCE & GABBANA IS SOLD IN IRELAND AT BROWN THOMAS. THE DEPARTMENT STORE'S BUYER, KAREN HIGGINS, SAW THE COLLECTION AND SAID AFTERWARDS SHE THOUGHT SOME OF THE PIECES "QUITE BEAUTIFUL".