Irene Libbi
On the streets of Milan, fashion addicts got a special treat during the hours leading up to the Dolce&Gabbana fashion show on Saturday, September 21. While the official runway show started at 2:30 PM at the historic Dolce & Gabbana headquarters on Viale Piave, the event extended far beyond the confines of the catwalk.
Outside, a street-style parade of celebrities and influencers dressed in Dolce & Gabbana captivated onlookers. For those who couldn’t secure a front-row seat inside the venue, the spectacle on the street offered an equally thrilling preview of the Maison's latest creations.
The Magic Outside the Venue
Fashion shows in Milan don't just start when the lights go down on the runway—they begin hours earlier, in the streets surrounding the venue. Fans and photographers line up, not just to see the models but to catch a glimpse of the celebrity guests. This tradition was no different at the Dolce & Gabbana show. The moment the first fashion-forward guest appeared, Milan's daily rhythm of trams, traffic, and street vendors was disrupted, all in favor of an impromptu celebration of haute couture.
One of the most anticipated arrivals was Emili Sindlev, the Danish influencer and stylist with a loyal Instagram following of over 900k. Sindlev turned heads with her audacious yet sophisticated Dolce & Gabbana outfit.
Irene Libbi
Emili Sindlev: An Icon of Street Style
Sindlev appeared on Viale Piave dressed in a striking ensemble that seemed to marry classic sophistication with modern edge. She wore black patent leather stilettos, paired with 20 denier sheer stockings, which featured a delicate seam up the back and the unmistakable Dolce & Gabbana logo embroidered near the heel. Her look was further elevated by high-waisted pinstriped shorts, cinching her waist and accentuating her figure. To complete the outfit, she sported a black corset and a cropped black blazer with bold shoulder pads, adding a hint of power dressing.
Her accessories were as carefully curated as her outfit: a velvet choker adorned with a gold heart-shaped pendant hung around her neck, completing a look that perfectly encapsulated Dolce & Gabbana’s signature balance between sensuality and elegance.
Walking confidently past photographers and fans, Sindlev transformed the street into her personal runway, while flashes from cameras lit up the scene.
Irene Libbi
Theatrical Elegance: Dolce&Gabbana's Guest Parade
But it wasn’t just influencers like Sindlev turning heads. The Dolce & Gabbana guest parade outside the venue felt like a scene out of a perfectly choreographed fashion film. Attendees seemed to follow an unwritten dress code that could only be described as "Dolce & Gabbana in the street," with organza fabrics that guests wore around their faces, creating an air of mystery and drama.
The attire, much like the Maison’s runway collections, emphasized the brand’s signature ultra-feminine and sensual aesthetic. Flat caps, mesh veils, red lipsticks, and leather shorts were just some of the recurring elements in the guest ensembles. The pervasive color palette? Black, of course. From long blazers to pumps and long gloves, black dominated the scene, with a seductive, dramatic flair that only Dolce & Gabbana could orchestrate.
A Family Affair in Fashion
The atmosphere outside the venue wasn’t just about clothes—it was about community. Fans of Dolce & Gabbana share a connection, one that was palpable on the streets of Milan. For many, being part of this "family" is about more than just fashion; it's a lifestyle, an attitude, and an experience of theatricality and beauty. Milanese trams, usually packed with commuters, suddenly became stationary props, part of the elaborate stage where life and fashion intertwined seamlessly.
Irene Libbi
The Dolce & Gabbana Experience: More Than Just a Show
Events like this reveal an often-unseen side of fashion weeks, where the streets serve as extensions of the runway. Dolce & Gabbana not only turned their models into muses but extended that experience to their guests, many of whom took the opportunity to flaunt bold looks that fit the brand’s DNA. From the venue to the tramlines, Viale Piave became the epicenter of fashion in Milan for a day, offering a unique and accessible way for fashion lovers to witness high fashion in a setting beyond the confines of the traditional runway.
For those in attendance, both inside and outside the show, Dolce & Gabbana once again proved their ability to create not just a collection but an unforgettable experience.
Irene Libbi
Is a materials researcher. Throughout her corporate career with major luxury brands such as Givenchy, Dolce&Gabbana, and Balenciaga, she developed a sensitivity for fabrics in general and for eco-sustainable alternatives and innovative materials, in which she specializes. This expertise led her to become responsible for fabric research and sustainability at Balenciaga in Florence, working in the leather goods department and acting as a liaison between the paris teams—designers, merchandisers, coordinators—and the office in tuscany. in addition to her work, irene loves writing about fashion. in 2018, this passion led her to partner with the founder of pfr, where Irene became a co-owner and, from 2018 to 2021, curated the writing and publishing of all blog articles and social media content. in 2019, Irene collaborated with eco challenge global and wrote articles for the eco-sustainable community, realizing that her true path and main passion is writing about fashion, runways, and trends, with her ultimate aspiration being to work for a magazine. She decided to focus on herself and her dreams, and in 2023, she earned a master's in fashion editing, photography, and digital media at idi institute in Milan, attending classes with Mariella Milani, Letizia Schatzinger, and Nima Benati. Irene had previously obtained a master’s degree in fashion buying and product management from Polimoda Fashion School in Florence in 2013, after graduating with a degree in business and fashion from La Sapienza in Rome. Besides loving to travel, laugh with friends, and try new restaurants (with a preference for Asian cuisine), Irene is a novice tennis player—perhaps it was Zendaya in Challengers who inspired her.
@irene.libbi