Sibling stories that made fashion history

Brotherhood: a vast, volatile concept that varies depending on the historical, social, or cultural context in which this relationship is situated. It's no coincidence that literature has spilled countless ink on stories of love and rivalry between brothers. Fashion itself is not unfamiliar with sibling pairs who have made their synergies the strength of their own brands, and rivalries between brothers rarely shine in the spotlight or are openly declared during an official interview. However, Guram Gvasalia, while announcing his new role as designer for Madonna's upcoming tour to The New York Times, has overturned all our certainties regarding fraternal narratives in the fashion system by making some scathing statements about Demna.

«My brother is six years older. When I was in second grade, he was in eighth grade. He had certain opportunities in life before me. But if you consider where I am today and where my brother was when he was my age, I think I am much further ahead» he revealed to Vanessa Friedman on July 5th. «I think my brother has a lot of talent, but I have a completely different approach to things. He had a good career for 10 years, and I believe his era is slowly coming to an end. Now it's my time.» A statement of intent that holds little weight in the face of Vetements' latest collection, an oversized carbon copy of Demna's most famous designs, even more bitter when considering the difficult moment Balenciaga's artistic director went through following last December's Gift Campaign scandal. But not everyone is like Guram; some have built successful empires with their siblings and continue to achieve milestones. Here are three stories of inseparable designer siblings that aim to smooth over the bittersweet aftermath of the complicated Gvasalia affair: 

Mary-Kate Olsen & Ashley Olsen - The Row

Although Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen are known for their low-key lives, their sister Elizabeth Olsen has revealed a bit more about their relationship to the press, emphasizing how the famous twins have supported her at every step, from her early steps in the star system to her success. «It's an incredible feeling to be the younger sister of two twins» explained the Wanda Vision star in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. She also admitted to feeling "very protected" with the two famous sisters by her side, who started their Hollywood careers at a young age in Full House and know how to manage their lives under the spotlight. From the age of six, Mary-Kate and Ashley began appearing together on television and in movies, with productions funded by their company, Dualstar. The media overexposure ceased in adulthood when the twins left their acting career behind and dedicated themselves to the world of fashion with The Row, which is now the epitome of quiet luxury and a beloved brand among celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Lawrence. «Even as an adult, I still want their coats, their shoes, their clothes. It's a desire I never abandoned» confesses Elizabeth Olsen, and who can blame her?

Dan & Dean Caten - DSQUARED2

The brothers at the creative helm of Dsquared shocked the fashion system when they revealed that they still sleep together at the venerable age of 65, but a habit that may seem unusual conceals the background of a difficult childhood. In an interview with British Vogue, they candidly spoke about their challenging youth as children of Italian immigrants in 1970s Canada. «We were nine siblings in a house with two bedrooms» said Dan. «We dressed poorly. We were feminine. We were everything possible to be targeted. We were beaten together, cried together, hid together» Dean continued. «If we're afraid of the dark now, it's because of that shit. We have to sleep together so that if something bad is about to happen, I don't have to scream. He'll be right there.» The Caten brothers moved to New York in 1983 to attend Parsons School of Design, where they stayed for only one semester. Upon returning to Toronto, they launched their first women's clothing collection, DEanDAN, thanks to a backer, before moving to Milan and working as designers first at Versace and later at Diesel. The disruptive and sensual world of DSQUARED was born in 1995, and since then, the Caten twins have been the creative directors of the brand, inseparable both in private and at work.

Kate & Laura Mulleavy - Rodarte

Even Rodarte, the brand born in 2001 and established over the years as the epitome of feminine and romantic garments infused with gothic elements, is the result of a sisterhood bond. Katherine Marie Mulleavy was born in 1979 in Oakland, California, while Laura Mulleavy followed a year later in Pasadena. They grew up near Santa Cruz, and both attended the University of Berkeley: Laura studied modern literature while Kate graduated in art history. Upon returning home in 2001, the two sisters initially dedicated themselves to sporadic jobs. Kate sold her collection of vintage vinyl records online, while her sister worked as a waitress, and the funds gathered from these early employments ($16,500) became the starting capital for their clothing line. The Mulleavy girls sketched designs on a kitchen table and learned to sew with the help of their mother. The brand's name, Rodarte, is their mother's maiden name, and the recurring floral motifs pay homage to their botanist father. In addition to fashion, the sisters have also ventured into cinema, writing and directing their first feature film, Woodshock (2017), as well as co-designing the costumes for Darren Aronofsky's acclaimed success, Black Swan, in 2010. From fashion to film, collaboration remains the keyword: «We often have different ideas and challenge each other, but in the end, we always arrive at a focused and unified perspective. It's an organic and intertwined process. In fact, it's often hard to know who came up with what or who made a certain decision!».

Julius & Victor Juul - Heliot Emil

Another pair of brothers who have built a name for themselves in recent seasons is that made up of Victor and Julius Juul, founders of Heliot Emil. Julius is the creative mastermind, Victor the entrepreneurial one - a rather dynamic duo given that, having started from practically nothing, on the strength of products that have gone viral on social media such as the Liquid Metal Pants, and with a vision of surgical precision, they have become one of the hottest addresses at Paris Fashion Week. «Whenever we get to work on a collection, we have the idea of exploring the idea of innovation», Julius told us when we interviewed him about Heliot Emil's new collection last year--always speaking in the plural, because even though the two brothers share duties they always work together and, at the end of the show, they walk the runway together.

Camilla & Giulia Venturini - Medea

Twins from Brescia, by now familiar faces in the most fashionable Milanese circles, but above all founders of one of the most cult brands of recent years, Medea, which has brought to the wardrobes of half of the fashion bubble their bags together geometrically minimalist but, at the same time, so vibrant. The sisterhood is the foundation of a brand that, in addition to actual handbags, has expanded into footwear, eyewear, and leather goods, and promises to expand further. Over the course of their career with Medea, the two worked with Maurizio Cattelan on a fanzine called Medealand created in conjunction with Toiletpaper, collaborated with two of the leading cult designers of their generation, Peter Do and Craig Green, and, in short order, became a powerhouse in no time.