Dolce & Gabbana love puffed shoulders.

With pure Italian audacity, D&G put on a show in defiance of the times and the anxiety that accompanies it. 

The Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2009 runway did not succumb to the idea of simplicity and moderation as the collection touched on the 30s and 40s, with gloves – used as headpieces and scarves, shell-shaped buttons, mile-high wartime suede platform wedges, huge balloons for sleeves – some as as high up as the models’ ears, chunky colorful jewelry pieces and embellishments parading down the runway. 

The duo’s love for all things Schiaparelli were also obvious, not only in the puffed shoulders but in the uber-bright pink of some of the pieces. The main color palette was black and white though, but there were also some reds, blues and caramel, apart from the shocking pink. 

Certainly, working on a budget was not the idea as fox, dyed goat hair, minx and thick brocades were fashioned into classic silhouettes and umbrella-wide skirts printed with Marilyn Monroe’s face. So D&G. 

Maybe they were going for optimistic? Or maybe they were just being true to themselves. I’m going with the latter – especially when the dresses (corseted and see-through, of course) came out, in classic Schiaparelli silhouettes and balanced by black tux suits. 

Handbags

Dolce and Gabbana’s Fall 2009 handbagg collection are just as over the top as their runway clothes. bags were in black and white, and black, white and pink checkered bags with beaded handles.

There were simple black totes; pouches with chain gold and silver tone metal handle- interspersed with shell, beading detail; big, black envelope pouches with patched, pleated or rouched detail and short plastic-wrapped, beaded handles; a zebra print pouch with metal frame; handbags with white fur trimming, gold tone chain metal handle with shell-shaped embellishments; simple hobos with metal hardware in black and animal prints. Handbags were mostly made of leather, suede and fur.

Image source: Style.com