Fashion designer Stefano Gabbana has vigorously defended his criticism of gay adoptions, using social media to create a range of hashtags and slogans – but none have really taken off.

They say, BOYCOTT  ELTON JOHN! In a post Monday Gabbana shouted “Fascist!” and took direct aim at the singer: “#boycotteltonjohn”. On his Instagram account, as you might expect, there was quite a lot of support for his criticism of Elton John among the hundreds of comments.

#SupportDolceGabbana, has around 2,700 tweets. But both are up against #BoycottDolceGabbana which has been used more than 30,000 times.

Singer Ricky Martin, the father of twins born by a surrogate mother, called on the pair to “wake up” in a message on Twitter, admonishing the designers that their voices were too powerful to spread hate.

NOW, Gabbana said in a statement 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.”