All Dolce, no Gabbana? D&G co-founder quits as chairman amid €450m debt talks

Published on 10/04/2026 - 13:17 GMT+2•Updated 13:22

Stefano Gabbana has resigned as chairman of Dolce & Gabbana, the Italian luxury house he co-founded with Domenico Dolce back in 1985, though he will maintain a creative role.

The company described the departure, which took effect on 1 January, as "a natural process of organisational and governance evolution".

Stepping into the chairman's role is Alfonso Dolce — Domenico's brother — who takes the corporate reins as the brand navigates a fresh round of debt refinancing.

According to Bloomberg, which first reported the story, D&G is in talks with bank lenders to refinance €450m in debt. The company confirmed negotiations were ongoing but said it had "nothing to report" beyond that.

Gabbana, 63, is also reportedly weighing options for his 40% stake in the company — a detail that, combined with the debt talks, suggests the house of Dolce & Gabbana is in the middle of a rather more complicated restructuring.

None of this appeared to dampen the mood at Milan Fashion Week in February, where both Dolce and Gabbana took their bow on the runway alongside Madonna — a reminder that whatever is happening in the boardroom, the brand's flair for spectacle remains very much intact.

D&G built its name on Dolce's Sicilian roots and a particular genius for form-fitting glamour that has kept stars from Madonna to Monica Bellucci reaching for the label across four decades.

The creative partnership, at least, shows no sign of stepping down.