Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the two men and former couple behind the Italian luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, have responded to the controversy surrounding their latest comments on “non-traditional” families, the AP reports:

Gabbana said in a statement Sunday that “it was never our intention to judge other people’s choices. We do believe in freedom and love.”

Dolce says he was expressing his view about family based on his experience growing up in a traditional Sicilian family “made up of a mother, a father and children. I am very well aware of the fact that there are other types of families and they are as legitimate as the one I’ve known.”

Dolce said he was expressing his personal views “without judging other people’s choices.”

The controversy began following a recent interview with the Italian magazine Panorama in which the two indicated that “the only family is the traditional one” and that children born through in vitro fertilization were “synthetic” – views that naturally didn’t sit well with many.

Wrote Elton John on Instagram:

How dare you refer to my beautiful children as “synthetic”. And shame on you for wagging your judgemental 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

Other big names have also spoken out against D&G:

@mainerandy wow- I had no idea. It will be interesting to see if this ridiculousness hurts them in the bank. #BoycottDolceGabbana

— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) March 14, 2015

These designers horrifying views are never in fashion. Their clothes are as ugly as their hate. #BoycottDolceGabbana

— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) March 15, 2015

.@dolcegabbana ur voices R 2powerfull 2B spreading so much h8 t.co/30Oe2hcxNt Wake up,Its 2015 Luv urselves guys #boycottdolcegabbana

— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) March 15, 2015

#BoycottDolceGabbana pic.twitter.com/pGBtu5rhdW

— Matthew Pateman (@matthewjpateman) March 15, 2015

Back in a 2006 interview with an Italian newspaper, Domenico Dolce expressed similar views saying:

I am opposed to the idea of a child growing up with two gay parents. A child needs a mother and a father. I could not imagine my childhood without my mother. I also believe that it is cruel to take a baby away from its mother.”

Catch any celebrities who have joined the D&G boycott that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.