A celebration that started last Monday with their D&G show that featured an all white collection of Victorian-inspired gowns and outfits, the Dolce & Gabbana continued the spirit of sanguinity and confidence that 20 years in the business can give a design house.

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who burst into the fashion scene during the 1980s and captured the world with their revolutionary designs became the darling of the stylish set from New York to Los Angeles and of course the whole world, including their home – Europe.

And after two decades, the Italian design duo still has their pulse in the twenty-something generation that had been their target market since they started.

Yet, everyone grows up, including the designers who are now in their 40s, same as their fans in the beginning who have reached middle-age by now.

Yet amidst the flurry of the lacy gowns that are ruffled, ruched and pleated to emphasize the female form, there are really no groundbreaking designs shown.

Maybe, the show was just, a retrospective of the past 20 years, the silhouettes redone and reconstructed. Still, one cannot help but think of Giorgio Armani who looked in his own archives to reinvent his brand and presented a sparkling new image that was still signature Armani. Or, Missoni that is undergoing a rebirth with the next generation Angela, who is the daughter of the founders Ottavio and Rosita.

And though the design duo had been quoted as experiencing a ‘rebirth’ in their 20th anniversary celebration, the sweet & sassy look on an ingénue with knowing eyes had been done before.

It’s not to say that the collection was not beautiful. In fact, the whole show – the clothes, the production and stage set were all breathtaking, a fitting homage to one of the most successful design duos of our time.

Yet, as one of those who ‘grew up’ with Dolce & Gabbana, a fan of theirs since the 1980s up to now and someone who had to give to the Salvation Army all the D&G jeans and Dolce & Gabbana frocks that I own because time and gravity had finally caught up with my body, it would be easy to say to a twenty-something, ‘I wore that 20 years ago.’

As closing, there is a big party for Dolce & Gabbana tonight with Madonna on the guest list, a fitting honored guest – the 1980s music icon for the 1980s design stars.