Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda menswear show and trousers as a sign of Rome's fall

Caesar led the Gauls in triumph, then Caesar led the Gauls into the Senate; they took off their trousers and put on the toga with the purple border.

The menswear part of the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda AW 2019/20 show recalls the Roman proverb about the Gauls. The proverb itself is used to describe Caesar's disrespect for the Senate, as one of the reasons for his murder.

This difference is usually overlooked, yet it is not only that a toga with a purple border is precisely the distinguishing dress of the senatorial order, but also that trousers are a characteristic element of barbarian attire. In my view, the fall of Rome, the decline of Roman civilisation and its passage into the dark age can be traced very accurately by the appearance of trousers in the general wardrobe. Whereas before they had been worn only by horsemen who had come from the East, from the moment they began to be worn everywhere in Rome, Rome fell.

In this sense, dress and fashion are not merely a marker of everyday life but also a serious civilisational choice and a historical indicator.

As for the DG couture, the first three looks in the album are purely my style.