Dolce and Gabbana: Connecting to Consumers and Evading Taxes

The fashion industry is a cutthroat business world to those outsiders looking in. With mile-high pumps and bigname labeled bags pouring out of the wicked imaginations of the “fashionistas” of today’s culture, it is easy to lose track of important things, like tax payments. Dolce and Gabbana know all about that, and they are doing what they can to remain positive industries in the eyes of their consumers.

Having recently celebrated their 20th year anniversary in menswear in 2010, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have had a lot of problems on their hands as of late. Things seemed to be coming apart at the seams for these two fashion industry leaders back in April. Only after a recent Twitter posting from Gabbana about his and Dolce’s tax evasion predicament has the public eye and the Italian court’s eye returned to the case.

Gabbana’s Twitter, calling the Italian government a bunch of, “thieves,” may have been part of the reason why a higher court of the Italian government has overturned a decision to throw out the more than one billion dollar charge of tax evasion brought against the designers. A report on Fashionista.com stated that the individuals are, “…Accused of owing about $562 million in back taxes related to the sale of Dolce & Gabbana D&G to holding company, Gado Srl.” In the same report, Gabbana’s Tweet about the situation is shared, stating, “They don’t know what to do to get money out of us!”

But despite the challenges the designers are facing, the two heads of the fashion world are beginning to market to their customers in an exciting and interactive manner. The newest consumer hook is to have buyers send in thirty second video clips of themselves and their friends sharing why they love the products sold by D&G. The competition winners will have the chance to appear in a new “branded,” music video, sponsored by D&G, who recognize the overwhelming resource and marketing weight that social media carries.

The remixed music video, “D&G is D&G, D&G is Love,” will not only sport the newest fashions being offered by D&G but will also allow the industry to get an idea of what kinds of products their consumers are interested in. With the influx of videos they will be receiving, D&G will surely get some ideas of how to properly market their new products to their target audience, a brilliant business endeavor!

Regardless of the tax evasion issues the designers may face, an announcement that will be brought to the public after the New Year, Dolce and Gabbana will be doing big things in 2012. One can only hope that these fashion mongers can find an accountant that can sift through receipts for fabrics and accessories and get down to the brass tacks of the designers’ financial dilemma.

Author Byll Monahan, 24, is a graduate from Cabrini College in Radnor, PA. He hopes that things work out for the best for these fashion gurus and that they are, in fact, being falsely convicted and are not simply pulling the “designer band wool” over the eyes of the public.