In March, Dolce & Gabbana, through its Dolce & Gabbana S.r.l. entity, completed the acquisition of the iconic Mocambo café-patisserie located in Taormina, Sicily. After undergoing extensive renovations and modernization, the establishment reopened as Mocambo Dolce&Gabbana in late July, blending the café’s historic charm with the luxury fashion house’s distinctive aesthetic.

This acquisition marks the latest chapter in the ever-growing relationship between luxury fashion brands and the hospitality sector. Similar moves have been made by other fashion giants, such as LVMH, which acquired the renowned Cova café-patisserie in Milan for nearly €33 million, and Prada Group, which purchased the historic Marchesi patisserie for €7.7 million.

In a notable real estate transaction related to this trend, the building at Via Montenapoleone 8, where Cova is located, was sold this past April by the Blackstone fund to Kering, a rival luxury conglomerate, for a staggering €1.3 billion.

Dolce & Gabbana’s expansion into the hospitality industry extends beyond Mocambo. Since June, the fashion house has been operating two dining venues under the Vesta brand—one in Marina di Pietrasanta and another in Portofino. The latter is situated in the historic Le Carillon establishment, which was renamed Le Carillon Dolce&Gabbana following its acquisition.

Taormina has also seen other high-profile real estate moves in the hospitality sector. Arsenale S.p.A., a company linked to entrepreneur Paolo Barletta, purchased the 4-star Hotel Villa Diodoro, a 102-room property, in a deal valued at approximately €40 million, with plans to reposition the hotel into the 5-star luxury market. Additionally, B.Zar Hotel&Co. took over management of the 5-star Hotel Metropole, which features 23 luxurious rooms.

Looking ahead, Taormina will welcome more luxury hotels in the coming years, with the Grand Hotel Miramare (operated by Kimpton, IHG) scheduled to open in 2025, and Melià Taormina set to join the market shortly after.