Dolce & Gabbana has confirmed that Stefano Gabbana has stepped down from his management positions in the Dolce & Gabbana group, but according to Vogue, contrary to earlier reports, he has not ceased his creative activities.
“As part of a natural evolution of its organizational structure and governance, the Dolce & Gabbana Group confirms that Stefano Gabbana has tendered his resignation, effective as of 1 January 2026, from his positions within Dolce & Gabbana Holding Srl, Dolce & Gabbana Trademarks Srl, and Dolce & Gabbana Srl,” the company said in a statement on Friday. “These resignations have no impact whatsoever on the creative activities carried out by Stefano Gabbana on behalf of the group,” the company added.
Alfonso Dolce, Domenico’s brother and D&G’s chief executive, took over the role in January, according to Bloomberg, which first reported Gabbana’s resignation. Gabbana is also said to be considering options for his 40% stake in the company ahead of negotiations with its bank lenders, with the former Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino taking on a top management role as part of the reshuffle.
A D&G spokesperson said: “With regard to the debt position, the group has no statement to make at this time, as negotiations with the banks are still ongoing.”
As The Guardian reports, Dolce & Gabbana was co-founded in 1985 by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana and is still privately owned, with Stefano Gabbana holding a significant stake in the business. Gabbana, 63, was born in Milan and, after studying graphic design, met Dolce while they were working for the designer Giorgio Correggiari.
They became a couple and quickly found success with their brand, which leans heavily into a “molto sexy” Italian aesthetic complete with macho men, Sicilian mistresses and a heavy dollop of la dolce vita. Catwalk shows have featured a tiger cub, footballers and riffs on Catholic iconography.
Madonna catapulted the brand into the spotlight in 1993 when she commissioned Dolce & Gabbana to create the costumes for her Girlie show tour. Gabbana and Dolce, who separated romantically in 2004, were prolific and quickly expanding the initial offering of womenswear to span menswear, lingerie, sunglasses, watches, fragrance and makeup. By 2009, the brand reported a turnover of €1bn.
However, the Italian house has been embroiled in various controversies over the past 15 years, including accusations of racism and homophobia. The Italian label has also been affected by a slump in the high-end fashion market, heightened by uncertainty over the war in Iran. The Middle East is a key market for luxury brands.
The fashion designers each hold a 40% stake in the business through a holding unit. The remainder is separately held by Domenico’s brother Alfonso and their sister, Dorotea.
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