A case of tax evasion by the Italian fashion designer duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana that was previously rejected by lower courts three years ago, has been resurrected and had its first day in a Milan court.

The team who formed the globally successful Dolce & Gabbana (or D&G) fashion label were not present at the court hearing - due to the duo's effort to 'pretend it [the charge of tax evasion] does not exist'.

Represented by their lawyers, the designers were accused by Italian tax officials of selling their D&G and Dolce & Gabbana brands to a holding company they set up in Luxembourg in 2004 to escape a tax bill of up to €1bn (£800m).

The long-running tax feud with the Italian authorities began in 2007 but all allegations were found to be unproven by judges.

Prosecutors have since appealed and, in November, a high court overturned the ruling, asking for a new judge to decide whether to send the pair to trial for unpaid taxes. If found guilty, they could both face jail terms.

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