By Jo Winterbottom MILAN (Reuters) - Giorgio Armani's retro spy style and luxury looks won whistles and loud applause after his winter 2009 menswear show here on Tuesday, as buyers and journalists acknowledged a classic show from the doyen of Italian fashion. Armani, the last of the big names to present his ideas, chose velvets and silks mixed with tweed in blacks, greys and night-sky blues for his men to wear next winter. Spies came to mind as models walked down the catwalk, their hands in the pockets of dark, shiny mackintoshes wearing tall dark fedoras and shades. Velvet -- already a trend at Milan's shows -- was everywhere, in trousers, jackets, shirts and coats, as well as gowns for a couple of female models who joined the show. A black velvet evening coat swept down to the knee and was matched with velvet shoes, while for the women, a long black gown was held barely there by the narrowest of halter necks. Armani, known for his classic lines and soft looks, made a collar into a velvet fringed scarf or stood it high in pale speckled blue under a velvet jacket. There were warm, wraparound coats in sheepskin or wool, and heavy jackets. Armani's men carried their hats as well along with gloves and a slim portfolio or a big squashy travel bag. Continued...
The first campaign pics of David Beckham modelling pants for Emporio Armani have been released, much to the delight of many a female office worker's desktop I'm sure. The LA Galaxy star is reported getting £20million for a three-year deal for the campaign in which he will challenge Calvin Klein's successful red waistband range fronted by Arsenal player Freddie Ljungberg. “[David is] a man with a great sense of style. There was a time when soccer players were not always considered to be fashion role models. David Beckham has helped to change that” said Armani. The Emporio Armani Underwear collection will launch in the U.S. launch early next year. For more menswear news make sure to visit Brandish.
We reported Beyonce's newest endeavor, campaigning for Emporio Armani's 'Diamonds' fragrance, with the launch of her feisty 'Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend' TV spot, this week. She hosted the launch of the release, on the floor of NYC Macy's. She was quite classy - perfect hair (extensions?), a gorgeous Armani knee-length dress in teal, strappy peep toe heels (Jimmy Choo?). But what was up with the stockings? I sort of get the look if she's trying to go for a very conservative classy, but the knee-length of the dress was already plenty conservative. Thoughts? (Oh, but I have no ill word to say against the new print ad launched this week! Picture perfect, B!)
Give Beyonce a gold star in the "be prepared" category — or maybe she'd rather have a diamond.
The 25-year-old pop singer — and new star of the Emporio Armani Diamonds fragrance ad campaign — said she's learned to be photo ready at all times. She carries three pairs of sunglasses (black, gold and brown) in her purse and a pair of nude-colored or gold shoes, in case she has to elevate her outfit at a moment's notice. Many "Beyonce sightings" happen while she's shopping, but the superstar said she loves the pastime too much to give it up because of the risk of an unflattering photo. "I enjoy shopping but I hate trying on clothes," she told The Associated Press in a recent interview. One of her latest purchases: an 18-karat gold ring with a "hear-no-evil" monkey made of 5 carats' worth of yellow diamonds surrounded by white ones. "I hear so many crazy things about myself that I'd rather not," she joked.
Sand under the runway and swathes of canvas for the ceiling at Belstaff's menswear show set the scene for designs that took inspiration from Lawrence of Arabia and gave them a modern, savvy twist. British-born Belstaff, whose trademark biker jackets were a favourite of soldier and writer T.E. Lawrence, is now owned by Italy's Malenotti family. Its spring/summer 2008 show featured scarves in creams or black and white squares that were thrown around the neck above open shirts in linens and cottons. Many of the models carried motorbike helmets with leather trim. Egg white chinos were topped with a black leather zipped biker jacket; white bermuda shorts were worn with a lightweight blouson the colour of sea-soaked sand. A more urban spin came from a Prince of Wales check in blousons and trousers, or stamped into a black leather jacket, while for the beach, Belstaff turned up cuffs on bermuda shorts and threw a blue and red checked sarong under a short cotton jacket. Beachwear at Giorgio Armani stuck to bermuda shorts in dark grey linen or in cream with a subtle chalk stripe. Armani, taking a "South" theme for his show, put lazy looks together from soft, wide leg trousers and loose jackets in pale greys and cool creams, worn with gold Turkish style slippers or moccasins and canvas gym shoes. The designer, one of Milan fashion's long-established names, was true to form in turning out flowing designs with impeccable tailoring that were easy on the eye and easy to wear. His take on the waistcoat - becoming a regular feature of this week's shows - was shawl-collared and fastened at a wide waistband with four buttons. Models wore the waistcoat in traditional style under suits, or open over shirts or even on its own as a skimped shirt. Against a backdrop of Grecian columns and sunsoaked white walls, Armani splashed a summer sky blue into his show in open-neck shirts. For evening wear, the blue shifted to midnight for silken shirts with leaf designs in a satin shine.
D&G flashed back to the 1980s in its menswear show earlier on Tuesday with shiny metal zips and studs on trousers, bleached battered jeans and plastic jackets. Silver baseball boots, sandals with broad studded straps and trousers put together jigsaw-like by zips were worn with hooded black shiny jackets or drill cotton with big metal buttons. The spring/summer 2008 designs from the label had some echoes of their stablemate Dolce & Gabbana, whose show on Sunday kitted men out in military-style. But D&G's look had heavy punk undertones, from metal plated belts to chains swinging from waists. Union Jack motifs were picked out in sparkling stones over black leather in a huge shoulder bag or on the front of a white vest. Milan's spring/summer 2008 menswear shows run until June 27. Reuters
By Jo Winterbottom 
