Dolce&Gabbana Relaunching Beauty With an Eye on Gen-Z

Dolce&Gabbana has become the first Italian fashion house to bring its beauty division in-house, a move that the CEO said would strengthen the link between beauty and fashion, and help build inroads with younger consumers.

CEO Alfonso Dolce said developing products with a new team at the Milan headquarters will allow more creative tie-ins with runway collections, “creating a more global, transversal experience,’’ that he said would bring the brand “closer not only to our loyal customers but also new Gen-Z clients.”

The Milan fashion powerhouse made the move after its licensing deal with Shiseido was terminated last year, the latest in a series of licensing agreements that Dolce&Gabbana had entered since launching fragrances 30 years ago.

Luxury fashion brands have long had beauty segments, while only a few, namely Chanel and Dior, handling the manufacturing and distribution in-house. While fragrance has long been the beauty standard-bearer for many fashion houses, cosmetics are increasingly becoming a way to reach younger customers, with brands such as Gucci and Hermes offering their runway color palettes in elegantly bottled nail polishes.