Elton John Urges Fans To Shun Dolce & Gabbana After They Labelled His IVF Children 'Chemical & Synthetic'

A host of celebrities have backed Sir Elton John in his call for a boycott of fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana after he said the designers labelled children born through IVF "synthetic". Stars including Martina Navratilova, Courtney Love, Victoria Beckham and Ricky Martin are supporting the songwriter, who has two children with his husband David Furnish.

Sir Elton angrily rebuked the Italian designers for criticising same-sex families and the use of fertility treatment in comments that have sparked a #BoycottDolceGabbana campaign supported by thousands of people on Twitter.

Business partners Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who are both gay and were previously a couple for 23 years, have previously voiced their rejection of same-sex marriage. Posting a picture of the designers Sir Elton John wrote;

'How dare you refer my beautiful children as "synthetic". And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF – a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfil their dream of having children. 
'Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again. #BoycottDolceGabbana.'

His comments came after Mr Dolce told Italian magazine Panorama that procreation 'should be an act of love', adding:

'You are born and you have a father and mother. At least it should be like that. That's why I'm not convinced by what I call chemical children, synthetic babies. 'They are wombs for hire, semen chosen from a catalogue. And then you have to explain to these children who their mother is.'

Asked whether he wanted to be a father, Mr Dolce said: 'I am gay. I cannot have a child. I don't believe that you can have everything in life.' Mr Gabbana added: 'The family is not a fad. It is a supernatural sense of belonging.'

 Dolce continues:

"what I call children of chemistry don't convince me, synthetic children. Wombs for hire, (are a) choice from a catalogue. And then you have to explain to this child who is the mother. To procreate ought to be an act of love, today not even psychiatrists are ready to confront the effects of these experiments." 

Yesterday, the row escalated as Mr Gabbana posted a picture of Sir Elton on Instagram and wrote:
'Who wants to see him dressed in Dolce & Gabbana?'  He also shared an image of a mother and child, writing: 'We live in a democratic country and respect for the ideas of others is essential.'

Sir Elton responded to the comments with an outspoken post on his Instagram account, which led to the 67-year-old entertainer being backed by high-profile supporters.