Stefano Gabbana

Stefano Gabbana (born 14 November 1962) is an Italian fashion designer and, along with Domenico Dolce, the co-founder of the Dolce & Gabbana luxury fashion house. He is one of the world's most influential fashion designers.

Biography

Gabbana was born in Milan to a father who worked in a printing factory and a mother who worked for a laundry service. His family is Venezian; his father was born in Ceggia and his mother in Cessalto. He graduated from the Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche, a design institute in Rome.

Career

In 1980, Gabbana met Sicilian Domenico Dolce through Dolce's employer, designer Giorgio Correggiari. Correggiari, who died in 2012, was extremely influential on the pair, Gabbana said in 2013: "He was not very famous. But for us he was important. He taught us especially what 'not' to do."

In 1983, Gabbana and Dolce left Correggiari to work on their own; two years later, they launched Dolce & Gabbana S.p.A. (D&G).

In October 1985, the Dolce & Gabbana brand made its fashion show debut at Milano Collezioni's Nuovi Talenti (New Talents). In March 1986, D&G released its first collection and held its own show, "Real Women." In 1987, the first D&G store opened in Milan, at 7 Via Santa Cecilia. In 1988, D&G established a partnership with Dolce's father, Saverio, who owned the manufacturing company Dolce Saverio in Legnano, near Milan.