When Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana burst onto the fashion scene in 1985, they did so with a dream to build their company into a “lifestyle” empire in a way that few others could imagine – especially at the time. “They were visionaries. They are one of the few brands still independent, financially, and they stuck to their values for 40 years,” says Gianluca Toniolo, chief executive of Dolce & Gabbana Beauty.
Fast forward to 2024 and the last piece of the empire puzzle – beauty and fragrance – is now out of the hands of external licensees, and brought fully in-house. The Dolce & Gabbana empire encompasses fashion, watches, jewellery, home, food, and now beauty and fragrance.
“This brand is still disruptive,” says the chief executive. “It was the first to think about a food and beverage concept, and look today how it set up beach clubs with the blue Majolica.” We are speaking in Dubai, where Toniolo is visiting to showcase the latest offerings from the newly created Dolce & Gabbana Beauty entity.
This is all relatively new – Toniolo was brought on board in September 2021 to oversee the complex transition from license to manufacturer, but only one year after officially launching under the Dolce & Gabbana umbrella, beauty and perfume revenue has already generated sales of €1.5billion ($1.6 billion).
Clearly, things are going well, but Toniolo is not interested in boasting. Instead, with 25 years of beauty industry experience under his belt at Chanel, L’Oreal and LVMH, he is aware of how small Dolce & Gabbana Beauty is compared to the behemoths of the industry.
“The giant corporations will always have more financial resources, more brands, more people, more subsidiaries, more sales force, and more, more, more,” says Toniolo, seemingly enjoying the role of outlier and knowing that Dolce & Gabbana Beauty cannot possibly go head-to-head with major beauty conglomerates such as his former employers L’Oreal or LVMH. “But what we can do is be able to move faster. We can make real decisions with Stefano and Domenico very quickly. Not just minor decisions, but strategic decisions.”
This guerrilla mentality has one important advantage, he explains: Having direct access to the designers whose names are on the bottle. “I am convinced the key to our success is the fact that we have the chance to work directly with the founders, and no one is better than them at transmitting the soul of this brand into a new creation.”
Case in point, the fragrance Devotion, which hit the shelves late last year. One of the three scents released under the newly created Dolce & Gabbana Beauty company, it was one of the first to be enshrined with the distinctive Dolce & Gabbana DNA.
When the beauty and fragrances were sold under license, Dolce & Gabbana had little say in how each was presented and packaged. Now, with everything created in-house, the same care and attention that goes into each fashion show, or high jewellery collection, is lavished on the perfume bottles and lipstick cases. Then came the matter of creating a uniquely Dolce & Gabbana perfume.
“I was looking for the fragrance to put into the Devotion bottle,” remembers Toniolo. He invited Olivier Cresp, the same nose who created the perfume Light Blue in 2001, for lunch. “It was close to Christmas, so I invited him to taste a typical Italian Christmas cake, Panettone. Immediately, he said: ‘Wow, this is Italian, original and Dolce & Gabbana. I’m going to create a new fragrance for you’.”
Two weeks later, Toniolo received a lab sample. Together with Stefano Gabbana, they knew this was exactly what they were looking for. The result is a light, powdery scent with a top note of candied orange peel, in homage to the fruit that decorates the cake.
Toniolo’s remit has been to create a fully functioning beauty and fragrance division, capable of not only creating and testing, but of manufacturing, packing and shipping too. “We had to build the company, set up the subsidiaries all over the world, bring together a team and set up the operation to manufacture more than 40 million bottles of fragrance. It’s impressive,” Toniolo explains.
Bucking all industry trends, Devotion went on sale without being pre-tested for customer feedback. “Why? Because for Stefano and Domenico, it was exactly Dolce & Gabbana,” he says. “With a giant corporation, the final goal is to make money. But Stefano and Domenico only want to see their brand where they think it deserves to be, so everything we do is not about financials, it is about elevating the brand to the next level. That is our mission.”
Now with 400 people on the payroll, and three new launches already, things are heating up. In addition to the scents, Toniolo has overseen the building of the beauty products, so the collection now features 40 shades of foundation, blush, mascara, liquid lipsticks and eyeshadows.
Speaking with Toniolo, he makes it all sound easy. It isn’t. Bringing beauty and fragrance in-house is expensive, time-consuming and comes with considerable risk – which is why it took the designers almost four decades to be in a position to do so. To date, they remain the only major Italian house to have even attempted it.
However, this is clearly about more than just bragging rights. It is a natural extension of what the designers are trying to achieve. “Stefano and Domenico consider fragrance or a touch of make-up like the last accessory you wear before going to a party, to work, or for a dinner, in the same way that you wear a bag, shoes, or a scarf. It’s the final accessory.”
“And that’s what I mean. The real secret of the success is not about launching a new fragrance or launching a new make-up product, it’s about putting the soul of the brand into each new creation. I try to transmit this feeling to everyone in the team, even though we are the underdogs,” says Toniolo. “And I love that.”
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The five pillars of Islam
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Read more about the coronavirus
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
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The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Results
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
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Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
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By Victor Davis Hanson
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
