Are Dolce and Gabbana becoming The Most Unfashionable Designers in Fashion?

Dolce and Gabbana: Notorious fashion pair have caused controversy and backlash over IVF "synthetic children" comments.

Dolce and Gabbana are at it again. Making headlines in the most unfashionable ways; first it was tax evasion offences, which they both ferociously denied, and now the duo's controversial comments about gay couples using IVF are causing rifts. When will they ever learn?

Back in 2013, the two gay designers were given an 18 month suspended sentence for moving their brand to a Luxembourg-based holding company, supposedly to avoid declaring tax on royalties of around 1 billion euros (£833m). The pair both denied this claim and closed their Milan shops with signs in the windows saying “Closed for indignation”. Seven years later and the Italian government finally agreed.
 

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have two children conceived using IVF surrogacy treatment. Pictured with Victoria Beckham who tweeted her support. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

But now Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have sparked new controversy over their remarks during an interview which was published in Italian magazine Panorama: "I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog”, remarked Dolce. The interview was ostensibly about their latest collection, inspired by “la familia”, however after Sir Elton John saw what had been said he set about denouncing the pair on his Instagram, and now other celebrities have joined in on this boycotting.

How dare you refer to my beautiful children as "synthetic". And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF - a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana

A photo posted by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Mar 14, 2015 at 10:29pm PDT

John, who has two children with his partner David Furnish born through IVF treatment, responded to their comments on his Instagram. Victoria Beckham has followed John's suit commenting, "Sending love to Elton David Zachary Elijah & all the beautiful IVF babies," she wrote. As well as Courtney Love who said she wanted to burn all of her Dolce & Gabbana items, "I'm just beyond words and emotion". 

Sending love to Elton David Zachary Elijah & all the beautiful IVF babies x vb
— Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) March 16, 2015

LGBT activist, Myles Benford agrees with John, “It’s appalling that these huge designers who are gay themselves would ever pass judgment on those who cannot have children and want to start their own families. Even if it isn’t the “traditional” way, who’s to say that it isn’t right? I’m ashamed that I have supported them and will be encouraging people to boycott these bigots!

 

Benford added: “I think they should be very careful about what they say as they have such influence and power. They should be encouraging people to do whatever it takes to be happy, not encouraging hate and discrimination. The LGBT community should be outraged and should boycott these designers for their terrible remarks.”

Gabbana has responded calling John a “facist”, and has coined the term “Je Suis D&G”, which has been used in homage to the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in Paris along with the hashtag “#boycotteltonjohn”.  Gabbana also commented in the interview “The family is not a fad.” despite using the theme of family in their latest collection.

.@dolcegabbana ur voices R 2powerfull 2B spreading so much h8 http://t.co/30Oe2hcxNt Wake up,Its 2015 Luv urselves guys #boycottdolcegabbana
— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) March 15, 2015

“My husband and I spent years trying to conceive naturally, and it is without a doubt down to IVF that we finally managed to start a family. How anyone could try to deny that it is a miracle that IVF has been created is beyond me. Years of agony at not being able to have children were finally to put to rest when we had our beautiful son, Jake, without IVF this would not have been possible," said mother-of-one, Jan Lewis, 45.

"[Dolce and Gabbana] should be ashamed. So many couples would have been denied children, a right everyone should have. I just wish they had even an inkling as to how their comments have made us parents feel when they describe our children as “synthetic”.” added Lewis.    

It seems the fashionable pair’s comments are out of fashion this year.
 

All babies contain a soul however they come to this earth and their families. There is nothing synthetic about a soul!! So how can we dismiss IVF and surrogacy? Every soul comes to us to teach us a lesson. God has his hand in everything even technology! We are arrogant to think Man does anything on his own. As above so below! Think before you speak.,,,,,,,,,,,❤️#livingforlove

A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Mar 18, 2015 at 5:49pm PDT

I just round up all my Dolce & Gabbana items and want to burn them. I'm just beyond words and emotions. Boycott senseless bigotry! #boycottD&G

A photo posted by Courtney Love Cobain (@courtneylove) on Mar 14, 2015 at 9:23pm PDT

These designers horrifying views are never in fashion. Their clothes are as ugly as their hate. #BoycottDolceGabbana
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) March 15, 2015

Other celebrities who took to social media to voice their opinions: