Professor Alberto Mantovani speaks onstage behind models at the men’s Dolce & Gabbana spring/summer 2021 runway show. Photo: Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana Fashion shows often build up to a grand finale. Some designers send a show-stopping look down the runway, while others have a surprise performance. For their men’s spring/summer 2021 show, Dolce & Gabbana had a virologist.
The Italian brand was the first to have a physical show since the easing of lockdown restrictions in Europe, with an audience of around 200 Italian and foreign guests. Air-kisses were in short supply; instead, attendees wore masks and sat spaced apart in a single row. Above them, installed on a nearby building, was a huge neon sign that read, “Everything is going to be alright.
A private medical university, Humanitas shares a campus with the Humanitas Hospital. Dolce & Gabbana’s relationship to Humanitas first began last year through scholarships for students. This year, the brand has supported the school’s ongoing research into the immune system’s coronavirus response and eventual aim of finding a vaccine.
In a statement to Harper’s Bazaar, the design duo explained what made them get involved: “We felt we had to do something to fight this devastating virus, which started from China but is threatening all mankind.” Despite the breezy inspiration for the clothes, the show ended on a serious note with a speech from Professor Alberto Mantovani, scientific director of the Humanitas Clinical and Research Center.
Gimmick