Stefano Gabbana has issued a statement after Sir Elton John criticised the fashion man and his colleague Domenico Dolce over comments about IVF children and same-sex parenting.

The musician called for a boycott of Dolce and Gabbana at the weekend after they were quoted saying that children born through the IVF process are "synthetic".

The duo, who were in a relationship for 23 years until 2005, also said in Italy's Panorama:

"We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one."

Gabbana has now said in a statement: "It was never our intention to judge other people's choices. We do believe in freedom and love.

"We firmly believe in democracy and the fundamental principle of freedom of expression that upholds it. We talked about our way of seeing reality, but it was never our intention to judge other people's choices."

Elton John and his husband David Furnish have two sons, Zachary and Elijah Joseph, who were both born by the same surrogate mother.

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Watch Sir Elton John being interviewed below: