Dolce & Gabbana’s love affair with Rome extends to its fashion campaign

August 22, 2018

Docle & Gabbana tells a love story through photographs. Image credit: Dolce & Gabbana

Italian fashion label Dolce & Gabbana is showcasing a love story between a couple through photographs, but it has written a visual love letter to the city of Rome in an accompanying film.

Directed and photographed by the Morelli Brothers, the label’s new fashion campaign for both men and women focuses on the never-fading theme of love. To breathe life into the still campaign, Dolce & Gabbana has shared a short film showcasing the city of Rome set to a special cover of a traditional Roman song.

“The brand, Dolce and Gabbana have over 17 million followers on Instagram, making the benefit of creating the accompanying video on this specific social medium an instant hit: three days into the campaign - 104,000 plus likes and 230 plus glowing comments.. clearly has left their followers wanting more... showing that Dolce and Gabbana knows how to engage their audience,” said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis.

Love in Rome
An acoustic cover of the song “Semo in centoventitré” by a local musician Raffaella Misiti sets the tone of the black-and-white film.

A beautiful build up to a lover’s story in Rome directed by The Morelli Brothers. #DGLovesRoma #DGWomen #DGMen @morellibrothers @lucamariamorelli @alessandromariamorelli Music cover by @lamisiti
A post shared by Dolce & Gabbana (@dolcegabbana) on Aug 18, 2018 at 10:35am PDT

It opens on a city street in Rome, with only ambient urban sounds heard, before a bus drives by and the guitar picks up.

On the bus, trees can be seen whizzing by as a young woman opens her eyes. The lyrics of the song come in, as more passengers on the bus are showcased going about their day, such as an older man in a hat, an elderly woman in glasses and those getting on and off.

The woman watches as more people exit and enter the bus. As she begins to stand, she smiles while watching a mother and her small baby.

As the bus begins to crowd, she stands playing with her hair, and a man who is sitting down notices her through the flock of people.

The woman smiles at him as she exits the bus, and the man runs to take his chance, but he is too late. The doors close in front of him, but not before she notices him and lifts up part of her skirt to tease him.

Dolce & Gabbana’s still photography for the campaign shows the same man and woman in a love affair, with black-and-white stills that view almost as home photos while embracing true Italian style.

Femininity is a woman's best trait. Bustier, skirt and rosary at the link in bio. Photo by The Morelli Brothers. #DGLovesRoma #DGWomen @morellibrothers
A post shared by Dolce & Gabbana (@dolcegabbana) on Aug 17, 2018 at 7:03am PDT

Italian heritage
In a similar nod to its heritage, Dolce & Gabbana brought liveliness to a quiet garden in Palermo, Sicily for a fragrance campaign that emphasized the joyfulness that can come with family.

“Dolce Garden Eau de Parfum –The Film” was Dolce's spot for its scent that embraces the culture of its home country. A playful narrative, the film tapped both the quiet and reserved side of the perfume, as well as its vibrant celebratory aspects (see story).

In September, the fashion brand learned the art of orecchiette pasta making from a Bari, Italy-based nonna to promote its cosmetics line.

Although pasta making and beauty products may not seem to be parallel topics, the coastal Italy setting is on par with much of the brand’s marketing which pairs Italian heritage, family and all things Dolce & Gabbana. Using an underlying familial theme enables Dolce & Gabbana’s consumers to identify and relate to its marketing, regardless of a personal Italian heritage (see story).

“The uniqueness of this campaign comes through in repetition riddled throughout the comments: ‘who, what, where did that song come from?’ The answer, very quickly came from their team ‘Semo in centriventitre, by Raffaella Misiti,’” Ms. Troutman said. “I mean, who doesn’t love an Italian love story with a great romantic video and song?

“This is clearly a successful, viral campaign in the making.”

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Dolce & Gabbana’s love affair with Rome extends to its fashion campaign

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