Dean and Dan Caten (born Dean and Dan Catenacci) are identical twin brother fashion designers and the creators of Dsquared2, a high-end fashion label.
Biography
Early life and career
Dean and Dan Caten were born in 1964 as Dean and Dan Catenacci in Toronto, Ontario. They are the youngest of nine children.
In 1983, they moved to New York to study fashion at Parsons The New School for Design, but stayed only one semester before returning to Toronto. Finding a financial backer in 1986, they launched their first signature womenswear collection, DEanDAN. By 1988 they had signed on to label Ports International (currently Ports 1961) as creative directors to bring the company more fashion forward and upscale. At the same time, Dean and Dan designed for their lower-end, leisure brand, Tabi International. In 1991, the brothers moved to Milan, Italy where they worked as designers for the house of Gianni Versace, and denim brand Diesel, the latter of which funded and launched their namesake brand. They debuted their men's collection in 1994, and in 2003, they launched a women's collection and a men's underwear collection.
Design and fashion shows
The brothers are known for designing clothes and staging elaborate fashion shows with "explosive energy". They design men's and women's apparel, men's and women's footwear, fragrances, and cosmetics. A runway show in 2005 ended with Christina Aguilera stripping male models of their clothes. In September 2007, the DSquared2 fashion show in Milan featured Rihanna entering the stage in an American muscle car, followed by a runway walk.
Their designs have been worn by Britney Spears , Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Nicolas Cage, and Lenny Kravitz. In 2000-2001, Madonna commissioned them to design over 150 pieces for her Drowned World Tour 2001 and "Don't Tell Me" music video. DSquared2's design was also featured in Britney Spears' Circus tour.
They have been featured on America's Next Top Model and appeared in the music video for Fergie's "Clumsy"
In 2006, the brothers were selected to design the new official uniforms for football team Juventus. In March 2008, Dean and Dan signed an agreement to design sunglasses with Marcolin, an Italian sunglasses and spectacle manufacturer. The collection is set to be released in 2009.
DSquared2 stores
In June 2007, the first DSquared2 flagship was opened in Milan's fashion district. Stores have also opened in Capri, Istanbul, Kiev, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
