How clever of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to hit on young Elvis Presley in his Blue Hawaii phase as a perfectly topical, tropical setting for their secondary line's spring season. It let them work in fashion's current crush on the fifties, loads of loud South Sea prints, and jeans—alongside the usual girly sexy dresses and boyish pantsuits.
The D&G girls came out with ratted bouffants and an assortment of Hawaiian-print jersey dresses and T-shirts photo-printed with Elvis, over raffia skirts or provocative swimwear. Their "boyfriends" swaggered alongside, sporting quiffs, lean suits, and winkle pickers. It was a smart device for bringing all the main line's signatures to a younger market—and lots of fun in the bargain.
