“Born in Canada, Living in London, Made in Italy”.
- Dean and Dan Caten
Canadian Twins
The world welcomed Dean and Dan Caten on December 19, 1965. The boys were born into an Italian-British family, which decided to tie its fate with Canada. Before they were born, their parents were raising seven older siblings. Although they hold Canadian passports, traditional Italian traditions, especially cultivated by their father from the Lazio region, made the Caten brothers feel strongly connected with Italy.
The brothers admit that growing up in an environment filled with female role models had a huge impact on their future in fashion. "I think growing up with 5 older sisters had a huge impact on us," they tell Hello Magazine, "They were much older than us and always one of them was choosing a prom dress."
After graduating high school in Toronto, the brothers decided to try their hand at one of the most prestigious design schools in the world - Parsons School of Design in New York. After some time, however, they realized that this was not the path for them. Therefore, they returned to their hometown of Toronto, where they got a job as junior designers in the Canadian clothing brand Ports International. Dean admitted to The Guardian that working at this company was the best school for them as they were able to hone their skills under the eye of an excellent mentor who taught them absolutely everything - from how high a pocket should be placed, to how to properly design a collar. Implementing their own idea of moving from apprentice to master, they stayed in the Canadian company until they reached the leading position of designer. In the meantime, in 1986, the brothers released their first women's clothing line DEan DAN.
In search of fashion roots
In 1991, the Italian-origin twins decided to visit the land of their ancestors and try their hand at one of the most difficult and competitive markets in Europe and the world. Initially, they collaborated with such well-known brands as Versace and Diesel. It was this encounter that was the cornerstone of Dsquared2. The owner of Diesel provided them with financial support to launch their own brand. In 1995, the designers presented their first men's collection. They had to wait almost 9 years to release a line of clothes for themselves. Today, the Caten brothers, who have shortened their last name, have become a double, visionary brand loved by celebrities. In their achievements, they have collaborated with Madonna, who in 2002 asked them to prepare 150 designs for the Drowned Tour. Their clothes are worn not only daily, but also on the red carpet by stars like Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and faithful fan Rihanna.
Today, Caten is a brand that has its stores in Milan, London, Rome, New York and Hong Kong. Their collections include ready-to-wear for women and men, accessories, glasses, children's clothing, and perfumes.
Dsquared2 style
How to define the style of Dsquared2? It's exactly like its creators - out of this world. Their charisma and double vision of the world are reflected in every project and every show. Although the brothers are over 50, their spirit is at the level of a restless teenager. In their work, they combine rebellious nature, fun and youthful vigor with the highest standards of Italian designers. The Caten brothers position themselves on the world fashion scene somewhere between ready-to-wear and haute couture. The DNA of their brand is a combination of Canadian iconography with Italian tailoring and fun sensuality. The style of Dsquared2 collections is streetwear for the daring of the highest caliber.
Although they are no longer the youngest boys, the Catens do everything together: they even sleep in one bedroom in their house in London. Their genius is based on co-thinking and co-feeling. There are no two such synchronized fashion designers in the world. Mutual support allows them to implement unconventional and crazy ideas. In 2012, journalists were drawn to their spring-summer collection show, during which the brothers made their models roll in the mud. The inspiration was taken from the Glastonbury festival.
