LA DOLCE VITA

Dolce & Gabbana slinks into San Antonio's La Cantera with new boutique

From The Heart To The Hands: Dolce&Gabbana Exhibit - Photo Call

Dolce & Gabanna is currently the focus of a Miami exhibit.

Photo by Ivan Apfel/Getty Images

San Antonio’s Shops at La Cantera is about to get a jolt of Italian drama. Dolce & Gabbana, known for its maximalist Sicilian style, is setting up shop in the Northwest Side shopping center at 15900 La Cantera Pkwy.

The boutique will be San Antonio’s first standalone Dolce boutique. The designer brand currently runs an in-store shop inside the Saks Fifth Avenue at North Star Mall.

Founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana established the brand in 1983, first as a design consultation studio before debuting at Milan Fashion Week in 1985. By its fourth collection, it found a groove with the “Sicilian Dress,” a slip-like garment that paid homage to iconic Italian cinematic stars like Anna Magnani, Anita Ekberg, and Sophia Loren.

Later, the brand became known for its outlandish prints and celebrity backing. Madonna chose the designer duo to outfit her Girlie Show tour in 1993. And when Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw famously tripped on a runway during a season four episode of Sex and the City, she was wearing Dolce & Gabbana.

After its ‘90s cultural peak, the label has been tangled in a series of controversies. Several of its moves have been branded as racist, including 2012 Blackamoor earrings, 2016 “Slave” sandals, and an ad featuring a Chinese model struggling to eat pizza with chopsticks. The duo drew even more scorn when they spoke out against gay adoption and IVF.

In 2017, Dolce & Gabbana also drew criticism for dressing Melania Trump. In response to the backlash, the brand issued a #BoycottDolce&Gabbana t-shirt.

Throughout the controversies and cultural dominance, the designers have stayed true to their singular aesthetic. The newest collection is filled with house codes like structured bralettes, flouncy florals, severe stilettos, and slip dresses, currently rendered in black lace.

According to new Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project details, the new 3,600 square foot Dolce & Gabbana store is set wrap up construction in October, although regulatory filings are subject to change without notice. It's unclear how much of the brand's products — which includes men's a women's clothing, accessories, scents, beauty products, and home goods — will be featured in the store. A request for more information was not immediately returned.

northwest side shopping designers dolce & gabanna shops at la cantera openings

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Nordstrom Rack to open first store in booming New Braunfels

Nordstrom Rack/ Facebook

Nordstrom Rack is particualrly known for its shoe section.

New Braunfels’ ever-growing Town Center at Creekside development is getting a major retail boost. Nordstrom Rack is building a new $2.8 million 25,000-square-foot store, joining CAVA and Portillo’s as signees in the bustling shopping center.

The off-price division of the upscale department store offers deep discounts on both off-season finds from Nordstrom and house labels made specifically for the outlet. While shoppers are unlikely to find a steal on a $13,000 Valentino dress, they will find premium labels like AllSaints, Rag & Bone, and Vince alongside a few designer shoes from lesser grail status brands like Ferragamo, McQueen, and Chloe.

Although fashion takes up the bulk of the floor space, the brand also carries homegoods like duvet covers and bath mats, scents, and beauty products, including fragrances from Gucci, Maison Margiela, and Dolce & Gabbana. Currently, it even has a couple of bottles of Creed’s sought-after Green Irish Tweed and Carmina scents for 28 percent off online.

The Nordstrom Rack store comes as the once-sleepy Hill Country town experiences an unprecedented growth spurt. Recent openings include New Braunfels’ first Sprouts Farmers Market and a two-level Topgolf facility. Still to come are a slew of new dining options like Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, Jersey Mike’s Subs, and Chick-fil-A.

Nordstrom Rack is also experiencing its own modest growth, with plans to open 12 new locations by the end of 2026. The openings come as competitor Saks Global is liquidating most of its Saks Off 5th stores and closing all of the remaining locations of Neiman Marcus offshoot Last Call, including the outpost in nearby San Marcos.

According to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings, construction on the Town Creek Nordstrom Rack will begin in May and wrap up in December. State timelines, however, are rarely accurate bellwethers of actual openings. A request for more information was not returned in time for publication.

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