HBD2, DSquared2!

Read our celebratory chat with creative directors Dan and Dean Caten.

Between them, identical-twin creative directors Dan and Dean Caten have spent a half-century embodying Canadian-Milanese fashion. Here, a double-stuffed celebration of their brand’s 25th birthday.

V: Happy birthday! How does it feel to be celebrating 25 years as a brand?

Dean and Dan Caten: We are very proud and deeply thrilled to have reached such an important milestone for the brand and for ourselves! We are grateful for everything and are as committed and dedicated today as when we were designing clothes for our sisters’ special occasions. When we started, we said to each other, “This is our one shot.” We could have always gone back to Canada and still been satisfied that we’d tried. That’s also why we chose to come to Europe. If we had gone to New York, we would have been a bus ride away from home and we could have given up quicker. We wanted to put an ocean and a language barrier between us and our goal, to make giving up as difficult as possible. Yesterday it was a dream, and today it is a reality.

V: How has the brand changed since its inception a quarter-century ago?

D&DC: Since the beginning, our vision was to create innovative yet wearable clothes for people like us—people who work, play, and party. Clothes that make you feel comfortable and at ease day and night. It’s always been what we like. It has just evolved [over the years]; we covered more [territory] from formal events to sports. Now you can go to the beach, ski, work, or celebrate a special occasion [in our clothes].

V: How have you both changed, and what have you learned about each other?

D&DC: We have learned that it’s not as hard as everybody says. You just need to be focused. You need to believe in yourself, dream big and work hard to get what you have always desired. As for us, we have learned to understand and always better each other as we cannot live without the other. Work-wise, we never make a decision if we’re not in agreement.

Jazelle and Adrien wear clothing and accessories Dsquared2
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