Dolce & Gabbana bring Baroque splendour and Sicilian heritage to Paris in stunning exhibition

Paris, the birthplace of haute couture, now finds itself hosting a powerful Italian counterpoint to French luxury fashion.

The message, as curator Florence Müller puts it, is direct: “Yes, Italy does it too.”

The landmark exhibition Du Coeur à la Main (From the Heart to the Hand), running from January 10 to March 31, is more than a celebration of Dolce & Gabbana's 40 years of Italian craftsmanship - it’s a tribute to the shared, interconnected history of fashion itself.

“The story of couture is global,” Müller explained. “Embroidery, lace, brocade - they existed long before Parisian couture, in Italy, in India, and beyond.”

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana first crossed paths in a Milan nightclub just five years before launching their company. At the time, both were working for fashion designer Giorgio Correggiari. After spending a couple of years as colleagues, they began dreaming of creating their own fashion line.

In 1982, they took a leap of faith, quitting their jobs to establish a freelance designer consulting studio. By 1985, they had saved enough capital to launch the iconic luxury brand we now know as Dolce & Gabbana.

Set across 1,200 square metres of the newly renovated Grand Palais, the exhibition features over 200 looks from the company’s Alta Moda and Alta Sartoria collections, alongside 300 handcrafted accessories and objects, including Sicilian ceramics.

Baroque grandeur defines the collection, unapologetically maximalist and layered with embellishments. Among the highlights is a gown inspired by Venice's Murano glass, encrusted with glass mosaics from Orsoni Venezia 1888, the glassmakers behind the golden mosaics of St. Mark's Basilica. Müller described it as “a sculpture on textile — pure craftsmanship elevated to art.”

Opera takes centre stage. A black velvet gown softened by gold embellishments captures the drama of Bellini’s Norma, while a romantic blue dress for Verdi’s La Traviata flows like an aria, its tulle layers whispering love and loss.

Meanwhile, icons of the brand, such as Sophia Loren and Naomi Campbell, are immortalised in giant paintings. Classical Italian opera and traditional Sicilian folk melodies provide the soundtrack throughout the various spaces.

But Du Coeur a la Main is not just about finished pieces. Five real seamstresses from Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan atelier work live during the exhibition, crafting bodices, bustiers and corsets before visitors’ eyes.

“This seamstress is sewing lace to form a dress, while another is draping fabric by hand,” Müller said. “It’s extraordinary. This is not just fashion - it’s art.”

Sicily, Domenico Dolce’s birthplace, lies at the heart of the collection. Traditional Sicilian hand-painted carts, ceramics and lace-making techniques are woven into couture. Yet the exhibit also underscores fashion's often-ignored global influences.

“Luxury goods and artisans traveled more than we think,” Müller said. “The silk and brocades used at Versailles Palace came from India, and Italian artisans were hired to craft the Hall of Mirrors ... (Fashion) is constant exchanges and inspirations — this exhibit reveals what time forgot.”