‘Italia is Love’ said Dolce & Gabbana. The words were painted on a sign above the fruit and veg stall, part of the set that included a café and theatre. We were in Portofino, holidaying on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, watching the ‘passeggiata’, the daily stroll of the seaside town’s finest Dolce-dressed women.


 
Models emerged, swinging a basket in one hand and an iPhone in the other, pausing as they walked to take a selfie, instantly beamed up on screens that hung from the ceiling. Well, Dolce is nothing if not the ultimate selfie brand: colourful, covetable, cute and bursting with ornamentation. Take the first sunflower-yellow trapeze dressx, embroidered with the words Italia Is Love, or the next, I [insert emoji love heart here] Italy.

 
It didn’t matter that Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce riffed on the usual: postcard-print sundresses, curvy black lace, floral-print trouser suits (poppies and daisies everywhere), burgundy velvet, images of the Madonna, pom-pom embroideries, sequins and crystal on everything - from heeled shoes and framed bags to sweet dresses. New were the bold striped pyjamas and dressing gowns (for day), voluminous silk kaftans and the metal-toe-tipped slippers. The finale was all shirt dresses - postcards of Italy's most famous selfie-worthy cities.

 
As ever, it all looked enticing. And managed to transport its fashion-weary audience to thoughts of their next holiday. In Italy. The Amalfi Coast. Dolce and Gabbana once again proved that they are Italy’s unofficial tourist board. Not to mention makers of world-class Instagramogenic clothes.