So it's Men's Fashion Week in Milan, apparent by the insane dinner parties (Alberta Ferretti's last night at Giacomo Bistrot) and the sulky, pale male models that crowd our cobblestone streets and don't eat in our delicious restaurants.
The runway shows kicked-off this morning with Corneliani, Zegna and Costume National, and after the lunch break, Dolce & Gabbana showed their Men's fall-winter 2012/12 collection at their Viale Piave labyrinth.
Dolce & Gabbana aren't shy about their love of opera, and they've paid homage to Italy's great opera composers in the past -- the 20th celebration of their men's collection last year at Palazzo Marino blasted Verdi hits and their Women's 2009 spring-summer lline incorporated Teatro la Fenice playbills and Maria Callas' face into its collection. (OC didn't miss the blow-out, either). Off the catwalk and away from backstage, we used to bump into them at Teatro alla Scala's Sant'Ambrogio opening night, too (but sadly we haven't seen them since 2008).
But earlier this afternoon, their fall-winter 2012/13 Men's collection catwalked to the sounds of an all-Verdi playist. As fashion editors, buyers, journalists and well-dressed guests took their seats, waiters in white tie lined the runway with trays of champagne flutes (seen above from the D&G twitter). The intermezzo from Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana played and the show began.
Male models took the catwalk to Pavarotti singing La donna è mobile and Di quella pira and finished with Libiamo from Verdi’s La Traviata. Here’s a short video clip thanks to a front row GQ-er.