Indignant Dolce & Gabbana shut up shop

'Closed for Indignation' - a Dolce & Gabbana shop in downtown Milan (AFP/Getty)

The citizens of Milan – which, like other Italian cities, faces surging unemployment and a vicious recession – wrestled at the weekend with the additional prospect of being unable to buy Dolce & Gabbana’s highly priced clothes for a few days.

The prickly design duo announced they were shutting all their Milan outlets in protest at comments made by a city councillor regarding their legal record, with Franco D’Alfonso from the centre-left council declaring: “We don’t need to be represented by tax evaders.”

The pair, who are feted by Hollywood stars, were handed 20-month jail sentences in June, for failing to declare income of €1bn to Italy’s tax authorities.

The words “Closed for Indignation” were emblazoned on the windows of their nine outlets in the city.

The pair are still at liberty, while lawyers plan appeals against their convictions.

All of Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan outlets will remain closed until Tuesday, including its garish restaurant, Gold, the haunt of many foreign businessmen and young ladies from Latvia.