April 4, 2014
Glamour of Italian Fashion on Show in London
Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 1 MIN.
The grace and glamour of Italian fashion are on display in London - and the attitude, too.
Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were guests at Tuesday night's launch of "The Glamour of Italian Fashion," a new exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The duo behind Dolce & Gabbana praised Britain's "cool" style and designers like Vivienne Westwood, but were less enthusiastic about Victoria Beckham. Gabbana said the former Spice Girl had turned to fashion after doing "many, many, many different things."
He added "she's a designer but ... for us, she don't make (clothes) the same way like a fashion designer."
Dolce grouped Beckham, whose designs have appeared on catwalks at New York Fashion week, with mainstream retailers such as Zara and H&M.
The museum's exhibition, which opens Saturday, traces the global rise of Italian style, from the rebuilding of a shattered economy after World War II through the 1950s and '60s, when stars including Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn made Italian design synonymous with sophistication.
It also looks at how Italy's fashion and textile industries are coping with the globalized "fast fashion" world of the 21st century.
The show, which runs to July 27, features designs from fashion houses including Georgio Armani, Prada, Gucci, Valentino and Versace - and of course Dolce & Gabbana.
Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.
