The Alta Moda client list has grown from 100 in 2012, when Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana launched their exclusive, made-to-measure label, to 750 today. Is it the crystal embroideries that attract such a large and loyal following? The 12-foot trains? Naturellement. Dolce & Gabbana’s design signature is exquisitely tailored exuberance, but Alta Moda is unique, even in the world of haute couture.

“It’s not just the clothes, the two meters of pearls, of pleats,” Dolce said at a press conference the afternoon before the show. “It’s not just one dress – it’s a style of life.” In Alta Moda, you are always the protagonist of your own drama.