Milan Fashion Week: Dolce & Gabanna’s tablecloth chic

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If you think some of the dresses in Dolce & Gabbana’s nearly all-white spring collection look like tablecloths, well, you would be right.

The Sicilian design duo’s haute homemade collection of white lace, crochet and macrame dresses, bloomers, pencil skirts and all-in-ones were made using the same techniques as the table cloths and bed linens traditionally found in a Southern Italian bride’s trousseau.

The story is quaint, but the show was Hollywood dramatic, with a slick opening film sequence promoting the heritage of the brand, live arrivals and backstage footage -- all for the benefit of those watching from their computers at home, of course. (Designers are becoming more like film directors every day.)

But as big as all that was, this was a collection about the small details. And the handwork on the runway was stunning, even from the seats. Lacey looks ran the gamut from a long, flower-child prairie dress, to a moddish minidress with front pockets, to a classic fit-and-flare style, worn over retro satin underwear. For evening, slim skirts and collarless jackets with doily-like details were sprinkled with crystals, and gowns fit for a bride were worked with delicate floral embroideries.

Aside from a few slinky leopard print numbers with lace insets or overlays, the collection was sweet, not sexy. (A counterpoint to the nearly all-black lace collection we saw for fall 2010, in stores now.)

Although this wasn’t new ground for the designers; the collection should draw in a younger audience. After all, it wasn’t Madonna playing the Sicilian widow sitting front row this season; it was angelic country honey Taylor Swift.

-- Booth Moore

Dolce & Gabbana spring-summer 2011 runway collection photo gallery

spring-summer 2011 collection at Milan Fashion Week. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson & Peter Stigter / For The Times