Figuring out Dolce & Gabbana’s financial situation is an exercise in guesswork (the company is privately owned), so figuring out how bad the designers’ legal woes are just depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, yes, they were found guilty of tax evasion in an Italian court and ordered to cough up a combined 343 million euros, as well as serve 20 months in jail each (which most people versed in such matters think will never actually happen).

Naturally they’re appealing while consistently asserting their innocence. In fact, to protest their unholy treatment by the Italian justice system, as well as by a city councilman of Milan, who seems to be gunning for them in a strange vendetta, the duo closed all nine of their Milan stores last weekend and hung a post in the window that began with “Closed for Indignation.”

If forced to pay the fines, back taxes, and interest, Domenico Dolce has been quoted as saying, “We will close. What do you want us to do? We will close. We will not be able to deal with it. (It’s) impossible.” Surely not even the Milan mayor wants to see that happen.

Here’s another twist. Page Six reports that Stefano Gabbana was seen looking at a $60 million penthouse in the Mark Hotel. Which leads us to think, if they only do a stint at Oscar de la Renta and an interview in Vanity Fair, they should be good as new.