Dolce&Gabbana’s Alta Moda shows are the epicentre of Italian fashion. The luxury lifestyle brand began its annual grand flourishes in 2012 and has since made a custom of staging the last word in Italian elegance with shows unlike any other, each lasting an entire weekend at an exclusive, invitation-only location.

Behind the scenes of these unique events, the preparations are meticulous, with designers, models, crew members, directors and makeup artists, all adding their finishing touches before the first silhouette is cast out on the runway. Matt Lever is one of only a handful of photographers ever invited to the shows. Covering almost every show since their inception, his images of the backstage commotion take us on a visual journey through Dolce&Gabbana’s intimate inner workings.

Lavishly illustrated, La Dolce Vita is a sublime coffee-table volume, perfect for fans and followers of high fashion and a compelling work of art for anyone with in an interest in the sculpting of the most lauded pageants in the fashion calendar.