Dolce & Gabbana’s Stefano Gabbana Apologizes for Body-Shaming Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s epic Super Bowl LI halftime show was mostly met with praise for her power vocals and death-defying aerial stunts. But some viewers felt the need to criticize Gaga post-performance for her stomach-baring Atelier Versace ensemble. And now, one designer is speaking out—and apologizing—for his role in the body shaming.

Lady Gaga took to the Super Bowl stage in three custom looks created by fellow Italian house Versace: The first was a sparkling Atelier Versace bodysuit with shoulder pads that channeled David Bowie. The second added a spiked golden jacket atop her initial ensemble. And the third and final look—a structured crop top, modeled to look like football pads, and Swarovski-crystal encrusted boy shorts—was met with the most controversial reactions, including from Stefano Gabbana, co-founder of Dolce & Gabbana. After initially criticizing her exposed stomach, Gabbana took to Instagram to apologize to Lady Gaga. Posting a photo of Gaga’s midsection, Gabbana wrote (in both Italian and English): “I know it’s strange, but finally something real not retouched! The truth, reality. Yesterday I criticized it too, but I though [sic] about it and I was wrong!!!” Gabbana’s apology was met with mixed reactions, with some applauding his apology and others condemning him for shaming Gaga in the first place.

While Lady Gaga has not responded specifically to Gabbana’s apology, she did make a statement on her Instagram account regarding the Internet body-shaming. “I heard my body is a topic of conversation so I wanted to say, I’m proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too. No matter who you are or what you do,” Gaga wrote in her caption. “I could give you a million reasons why you don’t need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That’s the stuff of champions. Thank you so much everyone for supporting me. I love you guys. Xoxo, gaga.”

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