From Dolce&Gabbana the dreamy femininity of girls in pyjamas

The advantage of having proposed - in over 40 years of collections and fashion shows - (almost) everything without seeming repetitive or falling into 'self-quotations'. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are mature stylists (and entrepreneurs), but in a certain sense they are also eternal debutants, as should perhaps be the case for everyone in fashion, which by its very nature mirrors changing societies and cultures and which should show the courage to change continuously while remaining credible. A demanding exercise that requires great inner strength, energy and self-awareness, all ingredients that Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana possess in considerable quantities.

"We are aware that we belong to a different generation, but we look with increasing curiosity at young people and how their relationship with fashion has changed. Mr Armani's passing has made us realise, with a mixture of pride and melancholy, that so many years have passed since we and others of the generation after Armani began. Now we feel a little lonelier, but we are also the guardians, as well as witnesses, of Italian fashion and made in Italy,' they say. 'Above all, we preserve intact the pleasure and passion for what we do. We enjoy, in every collection, from ready-to-wear to haute couture, inserting some reference to themes, symbols, parts of the wardrobe that have always characterised us. For spring-summer 2026 the protagonist is pyjamas, but pyjamas you don't expect".

The first surprise comes from the materials: almost all the garments are in cotton, not silk as often seen in the past. There are some 'classic' pyjama shapes, alongside almost tailored cuts, reminiscent of tuxedos. And then lace, chiffon and animal prints, one of the hallmarks of the Dolce&Gabbana universe, which also recurs in the home collections. It is no coincidence that Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci, for their Milanese appearance at the Dolce&Gabbana fashion show, chose animalier touches: the two stars of the Devil Wears Prada are busy, twenty years after the release of the film loosely inspired by Anna Wintour, filming the sequel, which will be released in 2026, and sat in the front row at yesterday's show. But back to reality, which, at least in fashion, offers more stimulating insights than literary or film-like transpositions.

"Pyjamas, first of all, are comfortable. And it lends itself to combinations with so many other garments, from lingerie to outerwear," explain Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. "We then had fun with shoes and bags, imagining these girls, of all ages, let it be clear, nonchalantly passing from the home environment to the city streets, uncovered or covered in layers, following their tastes, their personality, the mood of the day. Far be it from us to want to impose anything, fashion must be an instrument of freedom. We could even say that, at this point in our life and work, we do not aspire to 'be in fashion', to be at the centre of a trend. Also because everything changes quickly, sometimes for no apparent reason. Better, much better, to be true to oneself and one's own idea of fashion: that is our goal or, we might say, the dream that is realised season after season.