Dolce & Gabbana founder apologises for body shaming Lady Gaga's Super Bowl 'pot belly'

Stefano Gabbana, the co-founder of Dolce & Gabbana, has admitted to body shaming Lady Gaga following her Super Bowl performance. Gabbana was one of the many trolls who made offensive jibes about the Born This Way singer's figure during the half-time show, but he now celebrates her "real" body.

Lady Gaga, 30, became the object of ridicule when she bared her stomach on-stage at Houston's NRG Stadium on 5 February. Social media trolls described her midriff as a "pot belly" and made other derogatory remarks. Gabbana, 54, admits to being one of those critics but has now backtracked on his initial opinion.

In an Instagram message written in both Italian and English, Gabbana wrote: "I know it's strange, but finally something real not retouched! The truth, reality. Yesterday I critized it too, but I though about it and I was wrong!!! #real [sic]."

Gabbana's body shaming will have come as a surprise to Lady Gaga, who has supported the brand over the years, In 2009, the Bad Romance singer donned a metallic dress by the fashion house in the music video for her hit single Paparazzi while she also wore a lace maxi dress to her Terry Richardson book launch in 2011.

After being flooded with negative comments, the US pop star hit back at the trolls in an Instagram post, writing: "I heard my body is a topic of conversation so I wanted to say, I'm proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too. No matter who you are or what you do."

She continued: "I could give you a million reasons why you don't need to cater to anyone or anything to succeed. Be you, and be relentlessly you. That's the stuff of champions. thank you so much everyone for supporting me. I love you guys."

Following her momentous performance at the NFL's 51st Super Bowl, it was business as usual for Lady Gaga who announced a world tour and released teasers from her forthcoming music video John Wayne, a song from her latest album Joanne.