Richardson Rambles

Letitia DeVillar Richardson

April 25, 2026

When the Dolce & Gabbana exhibit From the Heart to the Hands opened at the ICA Miami in early February 2026, I admit I felt rather blasé about its arrival.  I’ve never found Dolce & Gabbana particularly appealing as a brand with its over-the-top decoration and almost suffocating glamour.  Well, after seeing the exhibit, and more importantly, learning about the sources of the brand’s inspiration, while I wouldn’t say I’m a convert, at least I now have an appreciation for the founders’ intentions and meticulous artistry.  I was also stunned that Miami was the first stop in the U.S. for the touring exhibit.  Now, I’m a big fan of Miami; after all, I live here, and while I routinely boast about its art scene, I’m still amazed that the relatively small ICA bagged this enormous exhibit.  Of course it didn’t hurt that the museum had recently acquired a massive art space from the De la Cruz Foundation, located coincidentally, right next door.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana founded Dolce & Gabbana in 1985, and the exhibit traces how their ideas, born of the heart, were translated into actuality through the hands of masterful artisans.  The show’s 16 rooms and 300+ pieces overwhelmed in true D&G style.  The curation was outstanding, leading the visitor through a stylistic journey of both time and place.  The ICA describes the exhibition as inviting “visitors on a multisensory journey through the brand’s unconventional approach to the worlds of luxury characterized by elegance and sensuality, yet also humor, irreverence, and playfulness.”  The exhibit is “a love letter to Italian culture” and “unfolds across a series of immersive rooms that illuminate different facets of the designers’ vision and their constant reimagining of Italian heritage though a contemporary lens” drawing “on art, architecture, folklore, regional topographies and artisanal craft, opera and ballet, as well as the abiding spirit of the dolce vita”.

The exhibit began with a collection of jewelry and jeweled clothing, whose images speak for themselves:

Among other things, the exhibit stood out for its intricately decorated rooms, each one a precious setting for the outfits and accessories contained therein.  One featured elaborate Renaissance wall paneling with self-portraits by Anh Duong that reflect the inspirations for the clothing exhibited.  Anh Duong is a Spanish-Vietnamese former model turned artist, whose works are held in several private collections.  She was born and raised in France, moving later to the U.S., where she took up acting and then painting.  Her mentors and patrons include Julian Schnabel, Barry Diller, Dennis Hopper, Spyros Niarchos, Domenico Dolce, and Stefano Gabbana.

The marriage of architecture and art is visible throughout the exhibit.  Domenico and Stefano are admirers of the gallery and fresco cycle in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome and based their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria, and Alta Gioielleria creations on that structure as well as on the works of Botticelli, da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, della Francesca, Giorgione, Salaì, Caravaggio, and Moroni, many of whose works can be identified in the outfits below.  In fact, if you think you know your Italian painters, challenge yourself to identify their work in D&G’s designs!

Another source of inspiration is the art of mosaics with geometrical or figurative decorations.  In the following mosaic-inspired pieces, the designers pay homage to the Arab, Norman, and Byzantine influences of the Cathedral of Monreale in Sicily and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

The designers also reference the cult film The Leopard or Il Gattopardo in Italian, from 1963.  Set in Sicily and starring Alain Delon, Burt Lancaster, and Claudia Cardinale, Il Gattopardo presents a story of clashing social classes as the old-world Sicilian aristocracy confronts the rise of a new, democratic social class.  For Dolce & Gabbana, the film’s ultimate message, that love and beauty overcome all divisions, serves as a major inspiration underlying their work.

The sacred and the sensual, characteristic of Baroque theatricality, are evoked in the stunning room below.  The Sacred Heart motif is utilized as a representation life and love, and the designers use it as a reminder that creativity cannot happen without giving of oneself. 

In an all-white room, the designers pay homage to the White Baroque acknowledging the dramatic tension between the simplicity of the color white and the complexity of the decorative elements including billowing draperies, several cherubs, volutes, pilasters, niches, and caryatids.  This duality is further reflected in the clothing where the simplicity of white is juxtaposed with ornate decorative elements.

Another room honors the art and craft of Italian glass-working studios.  In these designs, Dolce & Gabbana used crystal embroidery to highlight the local glass tradition.

Next, the designers turn to opera, another stalwart of classic Italian art forms.  Again, I leave it to you to connect the design with the opera.

In the atelier exhibit, the designers honor the craftspeople who bring their designs to life, depicting workrooms as vital hubs of creativity despite, or perhaps because of, their state of disarray.

Finally, a few random shots, for which I confess I did not note down any information.  In my defense, and as you can tell from the photos and information above, the exhibit was characteristically and gloriously overwhelming in true D&G style. 

Previously in Rome, Milan, and Paris, the exhibit runs until June 14, 2026 at the Institute of Contemporary Art of Miami.  I highly recommend putting it on your cultural travel radar.  No plans have been released for a second U.S. stop.