Paris Runway Official heads to Rome - Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda 2025: A Roman Ode to Beauty, Cinema & Myth - 90 Looks
ROME, ITALY — July 14, 2025
Story by Brit Olivia
In a city where history breathes through every stone, Dolce & Gabbana unveiled their Alta Moda 2025 Collection with a show that transcended fashion and became pure cinematic poetry. Set in the Foro Romano, which is the ancient heart of the Roman Empire... this year’s presentation was a bold convergence of myth, cinema, and heritage, paying tribute to the divas of 1950s Italian film and the divine majesty of Rome itself.
With the Eternal City as both muse and stage, the collection wove a timeless tale: part archaeological dream, part silver screen fantasy.
Photo courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
Between Myth and Monument: The Eternal Inspiration
From Piazza di Spagna to the Fontana di Trevi and Trinità dei Monti, the landmarks of Rome served not as backdrops, but as threads in the design narrative. Each garment echoed the magnetism of goddesses, the aura of Roman art, and the silhouettes of mid-century glamour which were all seamlessly infused into Alta Moda’s modern elegance.
It was a collection that did not simply walk through Rome... it walked with it. You did not need the backdrop to preview where the collection was going. The collection took you to Rome and from there... the details of the location, surroundings, etc. just amplified what was already being presented.
Photo courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
The Trevi Fountain, Reimagined
Perhaps the evening’s most breathtaking moment was a handcrafted coat inspired by the Fontana di Trevi. Using the ancient intarsia technique, artisans reconstructed the monument in meticulous detail on fabric. Every column, arch, and statue was depicted through a delicate layering of brocade, jacquard, and silk lurex.
The flowing water was brought to life by chiffon cascades in over 40 shades of blue, creating the illusion of movement across the body. It was a living sculpture, a wearable masterpiece, and a love letter to Rome’s enduring enchantment.
A Runway Through the Ages
Held at the Via Sacra in the Foro Romano, the setting itself became an extension of the collection’s message. As models glided past the ruins of temples and triumphal arches, the boundaries between past and present dissolved.
Sheer veils, voluminous draping, and ceremonial silhouettes brought ancient femininity into modern light. The aura of Rhea Silvia, mother of Rome’s founder, pulsed through many designs, embodying the show’s deep-rooted mythology and storytelling.
Photo courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
The Craft of Cinecittà Glamour
The fashion of 1950s Rome, immortalized on film and red carpets alike, was also central to the collection’s DNA. Inspired by the legends of Cinecittà, Dolce & Gabbana channeled the charisma of Sophia Loren, Anita Ekberg, and the Roman elegance of yesteryear. Think corseted bodices, hourglass gowns, and red-lipped drama, juxtaposed with architectural embroidery and Baroque motifs.
Each look told its own story crafted by hand, sewn with memory, and styled with the kind of divine drama that only Rome can summon.
Photo courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana
Final Thoughts: A Living Archive of Rome
The Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda 2025 show was not merely fashion.... it was a grand cultural opera, performed on the world’s oldest stage. Through myth, cinema, and artisanship, the house honored not only the past, but revived it for the present.
As chiffon waterfalls swept across ancient stone and sequins caught the light of the Roman twilight, one truth became clear: beauty is eternal when Rome is your muse.
VIEW ALL 90 LOOKS: https://altamoda.dolcegabbana.com/en/alta-moda-roma
Photo courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana