An Opulent Oasis

DSQUARED 2 DESIGNERS DEAN AND DAN CATEN MIGHT BE FAMOUS FOR POP-ROCK AESTHETICS AND ELABORATE RUNWAY SHOWS, BUT THEIR LONDON ABODE IS ALL CALM AND CLASSIC ELEGANCE

- Rachel Sharp

Charming, charismatic and famously creative as they are, twins Dean and Dan Caten weren’t taking any chances with the neighbours when they finally moved into their long-awaited London home. “We sent everyone a bottle of champagne to let them know we were having a party and we had so many nice responses,” they recall over the phone from Milan where their global fashion empire is based, punctuating the sentiment with a laugh. “We were nervous they’d be hating us.”

That was last year during England’s unusually balmy summer, so the pair threw open the glass doors to their enormous sunken garden and encouraged guests—including long-time friend Madonna—to enjoy every facet of the house they’d taken more than four years to transform.

For the Canadian-born brothers (to an English mother and Italian father), the unveiling of their West London dwelling in a corner of affluent residential enclave Maida Vale—nicknamed Little Venice thanks to the picturesque houseboats that dot its canals—was far too long in the making.

They bought the Victorian-era mansion almost six years ago, then spent three years getting their renovation plans through council. It took a further 18 months to complete the renovations and interior detailing with the help of high-profile Italian firm Dimore Studio. “We didn’t really change the original concept [over that time],” they claim of their elegantly opulent abode, probably more aptly described a mansion. “We chose the furniture we liked, then incorporated our own things and it all kind of mashed-up quite well. There’s a lot of really good energy in the house. We love it. We love her.”