Stefano Gabbana Steps Down as Chairman of Dolce & Gabbana

Though the move took place in late 2025, its delayed disclosure comes as the brand prepares for upcoming debt negotiations.

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A significant transition in leadership is occurring at one of Italy's most renowned luxury fashion brands. Stefano Gabbana, co-founder of Dolce & Gabbana, has formally resigned from his longstanding role as chairman. Recent Italian corporate papers indicate that the 63-year-old designer resigned from his position in December 2025, yet this discreet resignation is only now being disclosed. As the firm approaches a pivotal round of debt discussions, Gabbana is allegedly considering different options about his substantial 40 percent ownership in the brand.

Subsequent to Gabbana’s resignation, the company has maintained its leadership framework within the founding family. Alfonso Dolce, the brother of Domenico Dolce and the current CEO of the firm, formally assumed the role of chairman in January 2026. A comprehensive management reorganisation seems imminent, with indications that former Gucci CEO Stefano Cantino may assume a senior management position, but no formal statement has been released. The legacy design firm, co-founded by Gabbana and his former partner Domenico Dolce in 1985, is presently at a pivotal financial crossroads. Dolce & Gabbana possesses around €450 million in debt and is currently engaging in a new round of negotiations with its banking lenders, with counsel from Rothschild & Co. The company is implementing a comprehensive refinancing strategy, aiming to refinance €300 million EUR by 2030 while obtaining an additional €150 million EUR to facilitate the growth of its profitable beauty and fragrance segment.

Notwithstanding the brand's history of public scandals and criticism, Gabbana's recent resignation does not seem to be associated with any fresh scandal or insulting comments. Instead, it signifies a strategic business shift as the company investigates the potential divestiture of real estate assets and the renewal of licenses to generate essential capital amid a wider deceleration in the luxury market. Significantly, resigning from the corporate board in December did not prevent the designer from participating in the runway. Gabbana remained a highly visible creative force just months later, taking his customary bow alongside Domenico Dolce at the conclusion of the brand’s February 2026 The Milan Fashion Week show included a remarkable event marked by the unexpected appearance of music superstar and enduring muse, Madonna, in the front row. The implications of Gabbana's resignation as chairman regarding his ongoing involvement in the brand's daily operations or merely a reduction in corporate governance responsibilities remain ambiguous. Going forward, attention will focus on his 40% ownership and the company's imminent refinancing initiatives.