The Descent
Stefano Gabbana, 63, co-founder of Dolce & Gabbana, stepped down as chairman of the company this week.
He will continue in his creative role.
The fashion house issued a statement. The statement called this "a natural evolution of its organizational structure and governance." (The statement did not clarify what the organizational structure was before, or what it is now, or what specifically evolved, or whether the governance had been experiencing tension in its previous form prior to deciding to evolve.)
Stefano Gabbana founded Dolce & Gabbana in 1985. The company is named after him. He designed the clothes. He designed the runway shows. He was, for approximately four decades, the reason the company exists and the reason anyone knows what it is.
The part he resigned from was the organizational structure part.
The company would like to be clear that the clothes part is ongoing.
"A natural evolution" is a phrase that operates differently in different contexts. In biology, it refers to a population changing across generations in response to environmental pressure — a process requiring millions of years and the death of many individuals who were not well-suited to survive. In corporate communications, it means something was filed with the relevant authorities and the company prefers not to elaborate.
Stefano Gabbana did not evolve. He stepped down from a title. The title was chairman. He continues to do the work that the company is known for. The step went somewhere that is not visible from the press release.
There are two kinds of people who step down from things. The first kind steps down because they are done. The second kind steps down from the administrative layer while the creative layer continues exactly as before. Dolce & Gabbana would like it known that this is the second kind, and that the distinction is important, and that the organizational structure is now more natural.
The clothes will continue to be made.
The chairman position will continue to be vacant.
This is the natural evolution of the situation.