Dolce: the new fragrance that heralds an emotional and sensory journey through the heart of Dolce&Gabbana’s DNA: the noble land of Sicily.
Dolce blossoms in the memories of Domenico and Stefano. In the same antique mirror that was hanging in the tailor shop of Domenico’s father in Polizzi Generosa, near Palermo, and that today is in the Designers’ office, the reflections of emotions and traditional values come back to life.
Feminine and fresh, Dolce embodies the delicate balance between timeless craftsmanship and innovation in the art of perfumed composition.
Dolce is one’s personal touch, signature scent. It epitomises the simplicity of a result obtained thanks to a complex process: the same one needed to create a finely-embroidered dress.
“The nobility of the soul, the elegance of every day gestures, the joy of sharing from generation to generation, and the effortless perfection of a single white flower. This is the picture of Sicily that I carry within me, and the one captured in this delicate fragrance,” says Domenico Dolce.
“Dolce is a contemporary fragrance inspired by a memory. The originality is not just in the way it was created, using traditional essences and other brand-new ingredients, but also because it is the translation into fragrance of a young new love that will, by virtue of its innocence, retain its youthful vitality,” adds Stefano Gabbana.
The fragrance
Dolce is a gentle, feminine mix of white flowers, introduced by the freshness of the Neroli leaves and defined by the White Amaryllis, a South African flower used for the first time ever in scent.
The fragrance opens with a brightly-coloured, sweet-smelling explosion of Neroli leaves and Papaya flower, dissipating into a floral bouquet as the core of the fragrance emerges.
A unique and opulent combination of White Water Lily and bold White Daffodil blend perfectly with the full-bodied White Amaryllis. This floral signature is counterbalanced by the background of warm Musky notes, along with the complex accents of Cashmeran; leaving a sensual trail of light woods, earthy tones and piquant spices.
Top notes: Neroli leaves, Papaya flower
Heart notes: White Amaryllis, White Daffodil, White Water Lily
Dry down notes: Cashmeran, Musky notes, Sandalwood
Olfactive family: Floral, rich white floral
DOLCE&GABBANA FRAGRANCES IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE ITS NEWEST TESTIMONIAL:
MODEL AND DOLCE&GABBANA MUSE KATE KING, AS THE CAMPAIGN STAR FOR ITS NEW FRESH AND FEMININE FRAGRANCE, DOLCE.
White Amaryllis
The rich, fulsome notes of the White Amaryllis were created using “Headspace Technology” which captures the exact scent of the flower when it is in full bloom without having to cut it and grind the petals to extract the essential oil.
This is a special species of White Amaryllis which grows solely in the Fynbos region of South Africa and has a rich and generous odour, where other white Amaryllis found elsewhere do not. The name has poetic roots and originates from the Greek word “amarysso”, meaning: “I give light”. It has wide, trumpet blooms. The buds grow at different speeds so each will have a different intensity of scent
Dolce blends this into a fragrance for the very first time.
Packaging
Dolce’s elegant packaging is reminiscent of a vintage fragrance flacon. Thick, clear glass with softly curved lines lending a contemporary design edge. The flacon reveals sparkling glints of the vibrant green juice, as fresh and crisp as the Neroli leaves within.
The flower stopper pays tribute to Sicilian customs, crafted to portray the marzipan sculptures seen in traditional Sicilian confectioners. The bud is perfection itself, as unique as the singular mix of ingredients defining Dolce. The petals fan out in three rows, with colours graduating from milky-white, through to cream, and soft pink at the centre.
A thin black grosgrain ribbon, presented in an elegant bow, conjures images of the white shirts and bow-ties that were a signature of early Dolce&Gabbana catwalk shows. The same attention has been paid to every facet of the outer packaging: the soft white box’s material as refined and smooth as fine leather.
The final, and most personal, touch: Dolce signed in a flourish of black script, a replica of Domenico Dolce’s father’s own signature. It is underscored by the Dolce&Gabbana logo with a graphic twist of thin black grosgrain ribbon, a perfect contrast of classic and contemporary style.
The talent: Kate King
Kate King stars as Dolce’s campaign testimonial. The twenty-year-old Canadian model is fast becoming a recognised face in the Dolce&Gabbana world, having featured in campaigns for the Designers’ recent ready to wear and jewellery collections. Her wide, almond-shaped hazel eyes and noble features make her the perfect embodiment of the Sicilian values at the heart of the fragrance. Her role in Dolce’s television campaign will be her screen debut.
“Kate’s penetrating eyes are highly-charged, yet tender and innocent too, and in her gaze you see the spirit of Sicilian girls, the character of Angelica from The Leopard, whose candour and modern style managed to shake up Tancredi’s ancient world,” say Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.
The advertising campaign
Underlining his close personal involvement with the project, Domenico Dolce himself shot the print fragrance advertising campaign for Dolce, working alongside Stefano Gabbana as Creative Director:- his first time behind the lens for a Dolce&Gabbana fragrance campaign.
To bring to life the story of Dolce, Domenico and Stefano recreated a garden of white flowers at the wall of a stately Sicilian home. The soft and ethereal background highlights Kate King’s refined beauty, portraying her as a modern-day Angelica - Claudia Cardinale woken from sleep, pure, natural and still dressed in her white petticoat.
The film
Giuseppe Tornatore, Academy Award-winning director and the ultimate ambassador for the Sicilian lifestyle, was asked to translate the Dolce world - and all the feelings it encapsulates - into an iconic film. Tornatore interprets with elegance the finest nuances of the soul.
The Dolce campaign represents a ‘homecoming’ for Tornatore to the brand, having collaborated with Stefano and Domenico in early Dolce&Gabbana fragrance campaigns. He represents the ideal choice to capture the spirit and history of the house, and the poetry of Dolce fragrance.
“Making a film for Dolce&Gabbana is not like making any ordinary commercial. Stefano and Domenico don’t give you a storyline, they give you a feeling: they asked me to recreate an atmosphere of delicate seduction and a sense of courtesy. This is how the Dolce campaign came to life, as the story of a courtship, of love and great strength, a tale of great Sicilian ebullience,” says Giuseppe Tornatore.
Featuring dialogues in the Sicilian vernacular and scenes played out to an original soundtrack written by Ennio Morricone, the campaign is a living tableau of Sicilian country life at a very special time of year for the village: the lemon harvest.
The campaign is set in the lemon tree grove of an 18th century Palazzo, Villa Eleonora Nicolaci di Villadorata, located just outside Noto and considered one of the most beautiful country residences in the province of Syracuse. Here a throng of merry workers go about the lemon harvest, as the young, aristocratic Kate King looks out of the palazzo before joining the farmhands, effortlessly beautiful with her dark hair pulled back and wearing a white lace dress.
One of the workers, played by Brenno Placido, spies her from afar. Immediately infatuated, he climbs a tree to pick a flower which he gives to a small child to take to the object of his affection. The little girl passes it to a boy, who delivers it to Kate with a gentle kiss on the cheek.
The two young lovers speak only with their eyes, they touch only through the gestures of the children. It is the start of a sweet and innocent courtship. Forever Dolce.
The Lineup
Dolce Eau de Parfum 30ml
Dolce Eau de Parfum 50ml
Dolce Eau de Parfum 75ml
Dolce Perfumed Body Lotion 200ml
Dolce Moisturizing Perfumed Shower Gel 200ml
Dolce&Gabbana Dolce is available in April 2014 in all major department stores and perfumeries.
