If their resort 2027 collection was centered on the idea of an Italian summer, Dsquared2’s Dean and Dan Caten went deeper into Italian-ness for their spring 2027. In fact, the Mediterranean folklore of southern Italy guided the duo, who explored religious symbolism through a spicy lens. Crosses and holy references as well as religious-inspired tattoos were at the core of this season, with nods to Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. This was especially evident in the gangster-inspired atmosphere, a choice that showcased Dsquared2’s propensity to mix up very different references, often rooted into pop culture.
Shot in a Villa in Lecco, not far from Milan, the portraits of their men’s and women’s proposals immediately highlighted this ritual as a sacred and profane oxymoron. A big cross was applied on a candid white shirt through the exposure of internal pockets, usually built in a blazer. Little crosses and small medallions with holy cards were a recurring decoration on jacket lapels and some leather accessories. The theme of purity was further enhanced through doily crochets that were a small detail on the front pocket of a shirt or on a bigger plastron reminiscent of crocheted tablecloths that can be found on church altars, especially in southern Italy. All of these were paired with ripped jeans with a slimmer silhouette, also proposed in a lasered print of typical subjects of classical frescoes.
The rosary was mainly used as a necklace for men’s; for women’s, it became an alternative for thin embellishing chains and even jacket fasteners. Lace had a main role as lingerie inserts, like for a delicate pink bra, which was the top part of a sinuous fluorescent green dress, recalling the Dsquared2 tendency to mix different garments’ components. The same approach was also applied to feminine suits with contrasting lingerie applications. Finally, the tropical print with a daggered heart was the duo’s interpretation of the gangster attitude they wanted to use as a pop incursion into this collection.
