Why Lauren Sánchez Should Have Worn Gold Lace by Dolce & Gabbana

Fashion today has no soul. Let’s just get that out of the way. If you need proof, look no further than Kim Kardashian’s kids stomping around in Zara denim. We’ve gone from hand-stitched Sicilian elegance to fast fashion chaos. But not all is lost. In the sweltering heart of Rome, amid the 41-degree cobblestone catwalks of summer, there’s a treasure chest of couture memories keeping Italy’s golden thread alive. From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana at Palazzo delle Esposizioni is a love letter to fashion’s forgotten language.

Growing up in a world where weddings hosted over 1500 guests was the norm, I know what real fashion looks like. I was raised on lace veils, gold threading, hand-beaded bustiers, and cathedral-length drama. Haute couture wasn’t a trend—it was our cultural currency. My dear friend Nonna Donata, now 80, has an archive that would make fashion museums weep. Every piece, 100% made in Italy. Every stitch, a declaration of pride. This Rome exhibit? It resurrected that pride in the most luxurious way imaginable.

Lauren Sánchez

Let’s talk about why Lauren Sánchez, the woman married to the richest man on earth, chose Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to dress her. Why? Because when money’s no object, you want a dress that speaks in silk, not polyester. You want Murano glass in your earrings, not plastic pearls from Alibaba. You want a corset that sculpts like Bernini, not bruises like Spanx. Dolce & Gabbana are Italian artisans—not just designers—who make women feel like walking icons.

The exhibit itself feels like entering a Tuscan chapel dedicated to fashion. Every room is curated like an opera set—drama, glamour, intimacy. From the first glance, I was spellbound. The menswear department took my breath away. As the founder of MenStyleFashion, I can tell you, this was not just fabric and thread. It was art. Baroque suits dripping in gold embroidery, Sicilian black lace jackets that whispered mafia chic, and tailoring so sharp it could slice air. Men today are finally being invited into the couture club, and Dolce & Gabbana are leading the charge.

Now, the pièce de résistance—the gold wedding dress.

This gown, so reminiscent of my mother’s wedding dress from her Puglia ceremony, literally stopped people in their tracks. It shimmered under the gallery lights like a Roman goddess bathed in Mediterranean sun. The bodice was a corset marvel, the skirt a waterfall of hand-embroidered dreams. As I stood in front of it, I saw people—young, old, tourists, Romans—laughing, smiling, gasping in awe. That’s what fashion should do. Evoke emotion. Ignite memory. Inspire awe.

Corsetry

Corsetry was front and centre throughout the exhibition. It’s no wonder Bezos’ bride looked the best she ever has in Venice. That Sofia Loren-inspired white lace dress? Pure D&G genius. Snatched waist, heart-shaped neckline, and a dramatic train that fluttered like opera notes in a Baroque theatre. The tailoring said, “I’m the billionaire bride. I don’t chase trends. I own them.

” This is why Dolce & Gabbana still reign when it comes to dressing women who want to be unforgettable.

Murano Glass Dress

Let’s pause for the chandeliers. Yes, chandeliers as dresses. There were Murano glass droplets cascading from gowns like wearable palazzos. Fabric dyed to reflect sunset skies over Capri. Hand-applied beading so intricate, it made haute couture from Paris look mass-produced. These weren’t just clothes. They were monuments to Italian craft. A Da Vinci painting draped on human form. A Mona Lisa you could wear.

But what hit me most was the spirit in the room. People weren’t shuffling around silently, pretending to be cultured.

They were wide-eyed, whispering, “Look at this,” giggling like children in a candy store.

Strangers were talking to each other, sharing their joy. In a world numbed by scrolling, this was a visceral experience. Real-time, real beauty, real emotion.

In a time where everything is digital, filtered, and AI-generated, From the Heart to the Hands reminds us that human touch matters. Every stitch, every brushstroke of dye, every ornate embellishment was done by hand. The exhibit doesn’t just showcase clothing—it documents what happens when love, culture, and skill merge. It is an altar to Italian craftsmanship.

Rome is brutal in summer. Heat radiates from the ancient stones, the sun lashes your back like a Roman soldier. Yet there I was, makeup melting, stilettos clicking, utterly hypnotised.

If you care about beauty, heritage, or just want to escape Zara Hell, you must go.

This isn’t just fashion. It’s fashion as it once was and may never be again.

These men—Domenico and Stefano—are the last of their kind. When they are gone, this art form dies with them. You can’t train an algorithm to hand-bead a corset for 700 hours. You can’t mass-produce a legacy. This exhibit is a time capsule. A couture colosseum. A once-in-a-lifetime invitation into a world where dressing was divine.

So if you find yourself in Rome between May 14 and August 13, don’t skip this. Take the tram, the taxi, the heels, the fan. Come sweating, come gasping. Come for the dresses, stay for the magic.

And when you stand before that golden wedding gown, remember my words: this is Italy’s fashion Sistine Chapel. And Dolce & Gabbana are the last painters left.