After a highly-publicized dispute with Dolce & Gabbana, could singer Elton John be totally over it? Well, not exactly — but he sure does seem to have a sense of humor about it. The legendary singer joked about the recent controversy at his concert on Thursday evening, less than a week after the designers of the luxury brand said IVF babies are "synthetic."
Elton jokingly declared his love for Dolce & Gabbana Photo: Getty Images
Elton, 67, drew laughter from the crowd after naming Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana as icons of benevolence, before cheekily adding, "In Italy, Dolce & Gabbana." The fans, as expected, broke out into cheers and claps.
Elton then went on to express his appreciation for the design label's clothing. "Listen, the band have been wearing Dolce & Gabbana," he said. "I love Dolce & Gabbana clothes."
Quite a few bold-faced names were in attendance at the show held at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. Celebrities who saw the show included Bradley Cooper, Jonah Hill, Miles Teller and Jimmy Carr.
On Sunday, the iconic crooner called for a boycott of Dolce & Gabbana after the revered fashion label spoke of their support for traditional families and described children born through IVF as "synthetic."
Elton, whose sons Elijah and Zachary were conceived via a surrogate, criticized designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana for their statements on same-sex families and the use of fertility treatment.
"How dare you refer to my beautiful children as 'synthetic'," he wrote on his Instagram account. "And shame on you for wagging your judgemental little fingers at IVF — a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both gay and straight, to fulfill their dreams of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just likes your fashions."
Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce have been heavily criticized Photo: Getty Images
Celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Ricky Martin and Courtney Love showed their support for Elton, although the designers insisted that they "respect all the world".
In an interview with CNN, Domenico said that his views were private beliefs based on his idea of a traditional Sicilian family and added that he doesn't judge people who chose IVF.
"I believe in the traditional family," he said. "It is impossible to change my culture for something different. It's me… I respect all the world, all the culture."