There are two hypotheses about the etymology of the name Marzamemi, a fishing village on the southern tip of Sicily that is often described as a “pearl of the Mediterranean,” because its historic streets and buildings have been preserved virtually untouched. The first is that the name comes from a combination of the Arabic words marsa (port or bay) and memi (small). The second theory is that the origin is marsà al-ḥamāma, meaning bay of the turtledoves. Whichever explanation is correct, both reflect how central Arab culture has been to the history of this place, and it is an example of how the Mediterranean has been a place of hybridization and cultural exchange for centuries.
The latest show for Dolce & Gabbana's Fall/Winter Alta Sartoria collection, which took place in Marzamemi last week, began with this fact. It was inspired by an ancient legend, that of the Calafarina cave where an Arab princess hid during a Norman siege of the island in 1061. She brought incredible treasures with her—and the new D&G collection embodies the designers’ most extreme fantasies with nothing held back.
The collection was presented at a 17th-century tonnara, or tuna fishery, filled with references to Sicilian folklore—traditional carts, ancient songs and dances, and large dancing puppets seen at local festivals.
On the catwalk, gold armor and stones adhered to the bodies of the models with an almost graphic effect while helmets and masks encrusted with precious jewels looked like cyber-Arab hallucinations. Ultra-wide pleated palazzo pants, crafted from light semi-transparent chiffon, were paired with pointed slippers. In contrast, ripped jeans and skirts were embellished with shiny details.
After the show, Stefano Gabbana said, “We didn't choose the legend of the princess by accident. We took all the jewels that are in that tale and put them on the garments. There are many corsets mixed with ideas about military clothing, made of armor, that are lost in the mists of time. In Sicily, we talk about Saracen aesthetics more than Arab influences. Our collection is very Saracen." (The Saracens were the Muslim rulers of Sicily from 831 to 1091.)
Domenico Dolce added, “To make the corsets and bodices for men in lamé and silk with gold and crystals, we use the same technique as in the haute couture collection for women. We start with a tube of fabric, create a corset, and then the same people work the same way to produce two different results for men and women.”
While the designers decided to keep the haute couture and Alta Sartoria shows separate, the latter collection speaks to the ways in which ultra-high-end luxury crosses genders. As Gabbana explained, "The customers have grown one by one slowly over the years. And in this time we have also discovered a different world, we have understood what total fantasy is for men. If you think of the aristocracy, all over the world there has always been a taste for extreme, extravagant and elegant clothing. We have discovered the vanity of men. Now we have about 500 customers for haute couture, and among them are women who collect and love that kind of work."
The first step for those approaching this world—the entry level, if one can call it that—isn’t the aforementioned armor that has been doing the rounds on Instagram since the show was staged. Domenico Dolce put it plainly, “The first thing new customers want is pajamas and robes. Pajamas are our must-have haute couture pieces. Some people collect watches or shoes, but for haute couture customers, it's pajamas, which we then tailor and make to fulfill any desire. I like this because pajamas are also very intimate garments that can be worn out with a blazer or a biker jacket or a jacket covered with precious stones."
In this world of extreme luxury—and for the vast majority of us who stand outside it—there was another element of the celebration grounded in local culture. The huge dinner that followed the show, in the little square beside the harbor, was not prepared by a Michelin-star chef or a gourmet catering service, but by all the local restaurateurs in the town who joined together to prepare and serve food to all the guests. And this simple touch, foregoing the luxury and glitter, was a memorable conclusion to the evening.
This story was originally published by GQ Italia under the headline, “Dolce & Gabbana e l'Alta Sartoria in Sicilia, tra cyber-lusso saraceno e leggende antiche.”