Advertisement

Dolce & Gabbana are no strangers to controversy

Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce (Getty Images)
Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce (Getty Images)

What are we to do with Dolce & Gabbana? The haute couture duo made up of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are not backing down from the ultimate fashion crime: Insulting Elton John.

It all started last week when in an interview with Panorama magazine, the duo  said, "We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed."

Dolce reportedly added, "You are born to a mother and a father — or at least that's how it should be. I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog."

In response, Elton John, who has two children born via IVF with partner David Furnish, boycotted D&G posting an image of the fashion designers on Instagram.

"How dare you refer to my beautiful children as "synthetic," he captioned it. "And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF - a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana"

 
 

Though the hashtag has been supported by numerous celebrities -- Victoria Beckham, Courtney Love and Ricky Martin among them -- Gabbana did not back down, instead granting a follow-up interview with Corriere della Sera re-enforcing his original statement.

"I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect this, coming from someone whom I considered, and I stress 'considered,' an intelligent person like Elton John," he said. "I mean, you preach understanding, tolerance and then you attack others? Only because someone has a different opinion? Is this a democratic or enlightened way of thinking? This is ignorance, because he ignores the fact that others might have a different opinion and that theirs is as worthy of respect as his."

D&G have been down this road before. The duo has faced major controversy going back to 2007 when they released an ad which appeared to show a gang rape. Following complaints, they pulled it.

Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana

Five years later they were criticized again, this time for banning Hong Kong residents from taking photos of D&G stores in the city. Security outside the flagship store claimed the property was private and photography forbidden, sparking protests and speculation that the ban had been put in place to protect rich government officials who were shopping there but didn't want anyone to know about it. D&G issued an apology following the controversial event.

Seems like it would suit D&G best just to go retro and say sorry again.