This topic was published in Vogue October 2020 (Nº 391)

Dan and Dean Caten embody industry quirkiness in many and varied ways. To begin with, because in a world in which the coming and going of designers in big houses causes their success to fluctuate, the Caten brothers have managed to succeed without great antics and, even more difficult, to last through the solid 25 years of life of his signature Dsquared2. But apart from all that, his methodology to achieve this success also escapes the established norm. At a time when the voices of fashion are calling for a change of gear and some downtime, Dean and Dan continue to expand the Dsquared2 empire and drive it full steam ahead: men's and women's collection, a hotel, restaurant, perfumes and to a swimming pool in the heart of Milan. "That change of gear is what the universe is asking for and maybe it will slow things down, but luckily we have four legs and the rest have two," Dean ditch. The truth is that this sentence is the best summary of the Dsquared2 methodology and of the very life of the Caten brothers who, beyond the creative tandem that they embody, live, eat and spend the summer together. “They say that mixing family and business may not be a good idea, but family is family and twins are twins. We must stay together, we know each other”, say the Canadians, whose ties are also going through a particularly tough time: their professional collaboration is 25 years old and that marks it, of course, but, in addition, both have passed the quarantine period hand in hand. "The situation made my brother and I get closer, it was just him and me for three and a half months. We had a very nice experience in our house in Cyprus: we could go to the beach and we caught up with many television series like Elite," laughs Dean.

Before that confinement –and just in time for the experience to gain in symbolism– they presented the commemorative collection of that 25th anniversary. A proposal that condensed the purest essence of what his signature means and that adapted the greatest hits of his career to the public and current demands. “It's not so much about nostalgia as it is about thinking about the past for inspiration and knowledge – looking back in time to understand how to improve and learn about ourselves,” explains Dan. A self-exploration that in practice resulted in a parade to remember – which is not a small thing, considering that the firm is famous for its incredible staging – and an emotional finale with the designers singing We are Family together with the Sisters. Sledge. “The truth is that it was great, it was totally us, it was what you imagine when you think of Dsquared2. But we played with strange proportions, all the clothes were either too small or too big. The girls and boys looked like they were wearing normal cowboy boots, but they were five inches, huge heels that made their legs look longer. We also lower the waist. It made them look sexier. They turned into cartoons and it was great,” Dean reels off.

That sexy they refer to is surely the most recognizable sign of the Dsquared2 DNA. An emblem of the house that drinks from the exuberant 2000, from Steven Klein's campaigns and from muses like Jennifer Lopez or Rihanna. It is the Italian spirit of Milan to which they moved 29 years ago now and also of all its musical references. But Dsquared2 has been and is, above all, a business that never loses sight of its customer. “It all started because we couldn't find clothes for us, not even in our size, we tried everything: we went to vintage stores, to thousands of places. At that time there were many designers focused on women's clothing, but none that made attractive men's clothing with a good fit that we could wear”, they recall. "So we said: 'Let's make clothes for ourselves: the perfect shirt that we don't have to adjust, jeans that fit well...'. At first we started with just stupid, basic stuff. The Japanese are the ones who do it best in terms of basics, so we study them for hours: from stitches and fabrics, stitches, measurements, pattern making... We always stress that we didn't invent the wheel, but of course we try to improve it; And it's true: if you supply yourself, you realize that there are people who also like the same things that you do.

Now, with a quarter of a century behind them and a changing environment, the focus, they are convinced, remains the same, although, yes, more demanding than ever. “The biggest difference today from where we started is the new digital perspective and the way we engage with consumers,” Dan acknowledges. “Today, for example, customers know what they want and what they are looking for, they are more aware of how things are made and of their quality. In addition, they want to identify with something special, so you have to give them something original but at the same time comfortable and that continues to be linked to the DNA of the brand. There is so much to choose from that focusing on consumers to satisfy their needs is mandatory”.

A far from easy challenge that they seem to have achieved thanks to that secret formula that combines charisma, talent and, yes, inevitably also four hands. The key word is communication. We've always lived together, we work together, we have a lot to do and sometimes we split up. Dan is in charge of the men's division and I'm in charge of the women's division. Before we go to bed we talk a lot about what we can do to improve each other and then we put both proposals together. It's a lot of good ideas that come together and take his and her version to another level: it's the choice of fabric, the construction of the garments or even the name of the show, because yes, we also put the name together", Dean reels while asking if he can smoke a cigar on the other side of the screen and grins one of his dazzling and characteristic smiles. And there, in that gesture that ends his long explanation, is hidden the definitive secret of the Caten's success, which is none other than their ability to contrast between an apparently casual attitude and their impeccable work philosophy throughout these 25 years. . They laugh: “Some people are content to fit in, but we want to stand out. In fashion there is no room for mediocrity. It is what Diana Vreeland told her children: 'Either you are the first in the class, or the last. I don't want mediocre'”.

SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive all the news in fashion, beauty and lifestyle