news

Sir Elton John vows to boycott Dolce & Gabbana after the designers call IVF children "synthetic."

Sir Elton John has called for a boycott of fashion label Dolce & Gabbana after the world famous designers criticised same-sex families.

The interview, in which they denounced IVF, has been widely condemned throughout the world, as being narrow-minded, archaic and “deeply-insulting.”

The designers, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, gave an interview to Italy’s Panorama Magazine where they said the only family is the traditional one.

Dolce and Gabbana 1
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (Source: Getty Images)

In it Dolce and Gabbana ranted against IVF babies, and same-sex couples raising children. “The only family is the traditional one. No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow; there are things that should not be changed.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Domenico Dolce said “procreation “must be an act of love,”

“I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Uteri [for] rent, semen chosen from a catalog.”

“The family is not a fad,” added Stefano Gabbana. “In it there is a supernatural sense of belonging.”

A furious Elton John has hit back calling for a boycott of the brand. Elton John and his husband David Furness have two sons, Zachary, four, and Elijah, two, who were born to the same surrogate mother in California in 2010 and 2013.

“And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children.

“Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana.”

Sir Elton John, David Furnish and their sons ( Insatgram)

The # BoycottDolceGabbana hashtag has since been trending with many other celebrities joining the condemnation.

Martina Navratilova tweeted “It will be interesting to see if this ridiculousness hurts them in the bank.”

Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce were a couple until they spilt in 2000. Forbes magazine ranks them as the 11th richest people in Italy, worth more than £1 billion each.

Their comments are not much of a surprise. In the past they have made clear their stance on gay marriage and same-sex parents.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I am opposed to the idea of a child growing up with two gay parents,” Gabbana told an Italian newspaper in 2006, according to The Guardian.

The two designers have made their stance on gay marriage clear.

Last year in an interview with The Telegraph, Dolce said “I’m a practising Catholic.”

The two designers were asked if they had ever considered marrying each other. Their answer, from The Telegraph:

“What?! Never!” they answer in chorus, “I don’t believe in gay marriage.” Dolce laughs. In Catholic Italy, has their sexuality proved a problem? “No, never,” says Dolce. “The fashion industry is full of gays.”

 

Their stance has been reflected in their recent campaign, “Viva la mamma” with a #DGfamily social media campaign encouraging people to publish their family photos online.

Dolce has said the campaign was aimed at encouraging families to stick together. “We tried to give the idea of the clan, of the strength of the union. My mother always implored me and my brothers to stay united,” he said.

Sir Elton John and David Furnish

But their campaign appears to have backfired with social media users from all communities turning on the designers.

“Disgusting. As someone who is adopted and whose mum had IVF. I’d never buy from them again.” wrote one.

Another “Our #twins are hardly “synthetic.” More like, “loved and wanted.”

 

The designers responded in a bizarre post calling Sir Elton John racist. “boycottdolcegabbana because is different! And you hate the different opinion!!” Stefano Gabbana wrote.

 

We will keep you updated on further fallout.