Dolce & Gabbana has appointed Stefano Cantino as co-chief executive officer, alongside Alfonso Dolce, in a restructuring that marks the most significant governance change at the Italian house since its founding in 1985. Cantino, a veteran of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, brings a breadth of corporate luxury experience to a brand that has been navigating the transition from founder-led management to institutional leadership.
The appointment follows the resignation of Stefano Gabbana as chairman at the end of 2025, after more than four decades at the helm. Gabbana, who co-founded the house with Domenico Dolce, remains involved in the creative direction of the brand but has ceded his governance role to a structure that separates ownership from management. Alfonso Dolce, Domenico’s brother, who replaced Gabbana as chairman in January 2026, will share the CEO responsibilities with Cantino.
The move signals a maturation of Dolce & Gabbana’s corporate identity. The brand has long operated with the intensity and idiosyncrasy of a family affair — Domenico and Stefano’s personal dynamic was the engine of its creative output, producing collections that swung between Sicilian baroque, lingerie-inspired sensuality, and religious iconography. That intensity produced some of fashion’s most memorable moments, but it also created governance gaps that became harder to ignore as the brand grew into a billion-euro enterprise.
Cantino’s mandate is expected to focus on three priorities: expanding the brand’s retail presence in Asia and the Americas, strengthening its leather goods and accessories category as a share of revenue, and professionalising the supply chain and digital infrastructure. The creative soul of the house — Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana remain the creative principals — is not expected to change, but the operational framework around it is being rebuilt.
The Cantino appointment is part of a broader trend across Italian luxury: the recognition that founder-led creativity, while invaluable, must be complemented by professional management if a house is to compete on a global scale. Gucci, Prada, and Moncler have all navigated similar transitions. For Dolce & Gabbana, a brand that has often marched to its own rhythm, the arrival of a seasoned luxury executive may be the most structured step it has ever taken toward the future.
