ETERNALLY YOUNG BRAND "DSQUARED2" THIS YEAR IS 18 YEARS OLD. THE SECRET OF YOUNG TWINS DINA AND DAN KEITEN IS SIMPLE - TO RECEIVE THE PLEASURE OF WHAT YOU DO, FOLLOW YOUR STYLE AND DO NOT CHARGE FOR FASHION. DSQUARED2
For almost 20 years, they have been able to exploit the subculture of a generation born in the 80s and never repeat themselves. The kaitens are inspired with equal pleasure by Fellini films and American TV series about teenagers, in their collections there is a place for deconstructive details and utilitarian things that are becoming must-have in the whole world. In December, the brothers arrived in Dubai to absorb the local culture and think about opening new stores.
Born in Canada, live in London, work in Italy ... You are definitely people of the world, what is it?
Dean: It is our life! We are Canadians and proud of it. The spirit of Canada is part of us, part of our brand.
We work in Italy. The label "Made in Italy" means a lot to us, that's why we sew collections there and arrange shows only at Milan Fashion Week.
We live in England. London for us, in a way, is a reference point for coordinates. From here it’s close to the factory, we can safely travel and relax. In addition, London is a very cosmopolitan city, we like its subculture, music, people, streets. This is what inspires us.
You are from a very large family, 11 brothers and sisters - this is not a joke. Are any other relatives related to the fashion business?
Dean: No, we are the only ones (laughs).
We adore our family, spend all the holidays together, support each other, but only work together in the fashion industry.
Parenting in an atmosphere of nepotism affected the way we build relationships within the company. The last 18 years, the same people have been working with us. We grew up together, studied together, built a fashion house from scratch, we are like a family. So, we can say that Dsquared2 is a family business!
Where did Dsquared2 start?
Dean: We became interested in fashion when we were children. I remember well our first dress. We sewed a graduation gown in which the girl became the queen of the ball, and her photograph in it appeared in the local newspaper. I can’t say that we immediately felt like stars, but it was very exciting to be a part of universal recognition.
The first show of Dsquared2 was (is thought of) in 1994, 18 years ago ... I don’t remember the wild excitement among friends and relatives. Everything was rather quiet, the glory on our heads did not fall unexpectedly, the business was built gradually. And it seems to me that this is the main reason why Dsquared2 is successful now.
In your collections a certain leitmotif always sounds brightly and loudly. What inspires you now?
Dean: The Fall-Winter 2012 collection is inspired by the image of growing teenagers. The working name of the collection is “Class 2012”, and it has something from the images of the mid-90s and a bit of the 60s. The main character is a naughty child, she is from a wealthy family, educated, educated, but ... she is a "bad girl" or, at least, wants to seem like that. Usually our collections are very provocative, but this one turned out to be restrained, sweet and even in some way tender. The spring-summer 2013 collection is entirely dedicated to the 90th years. The era of supermodels, a time when women sought to look sexy. Shorts, accessories, short dresses ... It was a very fun time, and we tried to reproduce that era in detail.
Do you have a part or item in your collections that remains the same from season to season?
Dan: Yes, perhaps these are sneakers! I remember how I made the first sketch in my kitchen. Since then, this is the most popular model of the brand, they are in every collection. Also, we will forever leave the signature silhouettes of our dresses. This is the DNA of the brand. Denim is also part of the Dsquared2 style.
What will happen to Dsquared2 in 10 years?
Dean: We hope that in 10 years under the brand Dsquared2 there will be lines of underwear, swimwear. We also want to produce accessories, bags, sooner or later we plan to do children's clothing. In general, we think that Dsquared2 will go beyond the clothing industry, and spas, restaurants around the world will be associated with the brand. A lot of plans, so we have something to do ...
