MILAN, Italy (AP):
THE SILVER GRAY hair has turned white, and the permanent tan may have deepened the character lines, but the twinkle in his deep blue eyes tells you that Giorgio Armani still enjoys what he does.
"I like the fight," the 68-year-old designer said Monday after his Spring-Summer 2003 signature show.
The designer of course was talking about creative challenge. However, the scene outside his ultramodern Milan headquarters truly resembled a battlefield as an impatient fashion crowd tried to break the lines to get into the show, delayed for over an hour while his front-row guests took their seats.
On hand to cry victory were actresses Sofia Loren, Mira Sorvino, Kristin Scott Thomas and Kim Cattral, rock star Tina Turner, heartthrob actor George Clooney, as well as sport heroes: Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe and Ukrainian soccer player Andriy Schevenko.
The star-studded lineup was an amazing feat for a round of preview showings where the VIP guest list has been particularly short.
"I would go anywhere for Giorgio," said Sofia Loren, a personal friend and avid collector of things Armani.
On the runway, there were plenty of offerings to update the Armani wardrobe.
True to his conservative style, which became synonymous with the 'moda Milanese' some 30 years ago, Armani nixed the short sexy looks which have underlined the spring-summer preview showings.
Instead, he let go of his endemic tailoring constraint and opted for a more relaxed view of top-drawer dressing.
Gone is the power suit, replaced by a flirtatious short jacket with nipped waistline and frilled trimming worn with ultra-light trousers rolled casually at the waist. Other jackets are extra long, extending to the hips where they overlap with a soft skirt.
Demure asymmetric and strapless tops replace shirts. Some skirts are tight and tubular, while others are as puffy as a parachute, but neither ever ventures above the knee.
The evening department is luxurious but not lavish. More than the styles, it is all about the fabrics, where washed or glazed silk and airy wool gauze are spun into gowns, fabulous in their simplicity.
Colours are soothing from the soft grays to the pale fuchsias and blues, to the dusty golds.
Overall, the collection is sensual rather than sexy, but no less captivating.
Earlier in the week, the designer showed his second line Emporio collection aimed at the younger Armani fan.
Here, the fashion story is all about chilling out on your favourite Caribbean beach. Far from urban constraint, this is the place to whip out the mini-skirt, paired with a carefree striped T-shirt and the ubiquitous pert beret.
The message is fun-loving. A drawstring transforms a Bermuda into a hot pant, while crotched pockets double as spiffy saddle bags. Ruched tops create a feminine silhouette, while an evening tailcoat worn over a pullover tells a tale of day blending into night.
