The Kardashian family has had their fair share of ‘full circle moments’—times where the fashion establishment who mocked or shunned them went on to embrace them wholeheartedly. But perhaps none were as cut and dry as yesterday’s, when Kim Kardashian, once dubbed by Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce as a member of “the cheapest family in the world”, took her bow alongside the brand’s designers, having just unveiled a Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2023 collection that she co-designed. Playfully dubbed “Ciao Kim”, the SS ’23 offering saw Kardashian explore the D&G archive, “representing the years 1987 to 2007 with a retrospective of the last 25 years of all my favourite looks”. Kardashian gushed about the experience on Instagram, writing: “Never could I have imagined as a young girl watching Linda Evangelista and Monica Bellucci on the D&G runways that I would be creative directing a collection and show for Milan Fashion Week, I will never forget this moment and experience.”
Kardashian told Business of Fashion she wanted to lean into an alter ego, “a sensual Italian mob wife”, selecting pieces that married the late ’90s/early 2000s aesthetic that Dolce & Gabbana were so instrumental in defining with her own personal aesthetic. Lingerie-inspired daywear featured prominently, like the opening look, an embellished slip dress worn with visible stockings and garters, and the crystal-encrusted corsets, bralettes, and stretch jersey bodysuits. La Dolce Vita-style Italian glamour (cue: the sensual mob wife) came courtesy of sheer lace slip skirts, silk head scarves, and leopard print coats. There were more unexpected details too—ones that felt more Kim Kardashian than D&G—sheer PVC trench coats tied at the waist, distressed denim (worn with bejewelled bras, of course), hard metal corset dresses with hand-carved ‘seams’.
The collection was a nice opportunity to reflect on how powerful Kardashian has become. Once pilloried as the woman who is “famous for being famous”, Kim is now a bonafide fashion icon, bestowed with the kind of gifts (like a celebrity co-production), that few luxury fashion houses ever offer. According to Kardashian, she, Dolce, and Gabbana came up with the idea over dinner months back, when Kardashian rocked up wearing a rare vintage piece from the D&G archive. This explains why the partnership felt so natural, the core tenets of Dolce & Gabbana—unapologetic glamour, a brazen desire to be looked at, and a highly elevated taste level—perfectly align with Kim Kardashian circa 2022. Ciao Kim, we couldn’t be prouder of you.
