Dolce & Gabbana beauty is worth €1.5 billion and aims to double this figure by 2027

Dolce & Gabbana is banking on beauty. The company’s beauty business, which will be brought back in-house in 2022 following the end of the licence granted to Shiseido, is booming and posting record figures. Two years after its launch, the Managing Director of DG Beauty, Gianluca Toniolo, talks to FashionNetwork.com about the initial progress made and the projects underway to stimulate future growth.

FashionNetwork.com: How much is Dolce & Gabbana’s beauty business worth?

Gianluca Toniolo: Despite a very ambitious business plan, in the first year of operation we exceeded our target by 50%, achieving a retail sales value of 1.5 billion compared to the forecast billion. The aim is to more than double results by 2026-27. In 2022, make-up represented 5% of total sales, but we would like to reach 30% in the next 3 to 5 years. 
 
FNW: Where are the division’s headquarters and how many people work there?

G.T: DG Beauty’s head office is in Milan. In addition, there are five other branches in Miami, Dubai, Singapore, Paris and Madrid (in a joint venture). We have over 300 employees worldwide. It’s a very dynamic, international team, with an average age of 34-35. Our people are the foundation of our success. We’ve put a lot of faith in the value of people and we’ve chosen highly specialised and competent people, but above all people with the right attitude to tackle such an ambitious and challenging project.
 
FNW: What is DG beauty’s main focus?

G.T: Without a doubt Light Blue, a fragrance that captures the joyful, Italian spirit of the brand and which, since its creation in 2001, has remained one of the best-selling fragrances in the world. Devotion, the latest olfactory creation dating from 2023, is rapidly climbing the rankings of the world’s most important markets. In make-up, Luminizer Everlift is performing well.

FNW: Are you planning any new launches?

G.T: We’re aiming to become a two-pronged brand: fragrances and make-up. Make-up currently has 80 references, which will increase to 350 by 2025. These are categories in which we know we still have significant growth potential. We won’t be giving up on skincare, which will have a dedicated line by the first quarter of 2025. However, we won’t be entering this field with an ‘anti-ageing offer’, based on research and laboratory results, but we will be approaching it with ‘aging-well’ products: we will be using Italian ingredients, already present in our make-up and fragrances, which have important natural properties for the skin and which act as ‘skin beautifiers’.
 
FNW: How is the beauty line distributed in Italy?

G.T: We are present in the best Italian selective perfumeries as well as, with dedicated spaces, in the brand’s boutiques. We’re very proud of the space that beauty occupies in single-brand shops in major Italian cities like Milan and Rome. This allows us to elevate the range and present it as a major asset for the brand. Direct e-commerce is also active.
 
FNW: What are the division’s main markets?

G.T: North America is the leading perfume market. We’re also recording good figures in Europe, where Italy and Spain stand out, as well as in Latin America and the Middle East. We are repositioning the brand in Asia with great success. In make-up, we are working on positioning and market penetration. In fact, before internalising this activity, the category was only marginally distributed. In April, we launched make-up in the United States exclusively with Saks, to a very positive response.

FNW: Who are your target customers?

G.T: Generations Z and Alpha, in particular, are an important target for cosmetics and it was essential for us to enter the market with products that could potentially appeal to these generations who, intrigued by beauty products today, may also become fashion consumers tomorrow. For example, the Eye Dare You palette, recently launched on the market, was designed with this in mind: its eye-catching packaging is reminiscent of a DG clutch bag.
 
FNW: Are the products aimed more at men or women?

G.T: With fragrances and make-up, we cover both categories. In fragrances, we have a range that satisfies both men’s and women’s tastes, as well as cross-over products. Our make-up is suitable for both men and women, thanks to our high-performance products.