Armani Prive visited the future for its Spring 2011 couture collection.  Circular shapes were all over the runway in materials with fluid like movement and consistency.  Evening wear dominated in blue, blue-green and raspberry red with little pops of purple and grey sprinkled throughout.  Shoulders were plentiful in strapless and off-the-shoulder styles.  It was nice to see futuristic done with glamour and elegance.  The designer also successfully experimented with various shapes that perfectly captured the theme.

Megan Fox is the face of Giorgio Armani’s beauty ad campaign for Spring 2011.  The actress gives us a demonstration of the luxury and sensuality of the cosmetics in this commercial.  She poses both coyly and seductively in this video.  Megan indeed has the face of beauty to promote this line; the makeup enhances without covering up.  The red of the lipstick she eventually applies acts as the apostrophe to a cosmetic line that not only naturally improves, but also uses color to transform your look.

Telephone – Philip Treacy telephone hat paired with a black Armani coat, flared trousers and towering heels.

Mini Mouse - Off one shoulder black latex body suit.

Harlequin – Black Marjan Pejoski Body suit with oversized black neck fuff.

Lady Gaga had eight wax figures made at Madame Tussauds Museum.  The figures were revealed today in eight different museums worldwide.  Here are three of the looks, the Telephone which was characterized by a Philip Treacy telephone hat and Giorgio Armani jacket.  Her Mini Mouse look had the perfectly sculpted mini mouse bow made from blond hair, and her Harlequin figure donned a full body suit with diamond patterns throughout.  They are all surprisingly lifelike, and perfect replicas of the superstar.

Olivia Wilde wore a sexy one-shoulder Armani dress to the London premiere of Tron: Legacy.  She walked the red carpet with her co-star, Jeff Bridges.  Olivia’s dress was black with red, white and blue circular design patterns throughout, a very sci-fi element.  The singular long sleeve and bow detail on the shoulder added to its futuristic effect.  A black pair of Stella McCartney high-heels and black tights finished off her look for the evening.  Her hair was up in a sleek bun and her makeup was flawless.  Tron opens in theaters on Friday, December 17th. 

Giorgio Armani went midnight blue for Spring 2011.  The collection was ethnic chic, fully equipped with turbans and loosely draped sheer fabric.  I’m getting a little nostalgic for Arabian Nights from these looks.  It was sleek and superbly styled.  Armani made navy the new black for the season.  The looks were dramatic, and tailored to perfection.  He gave us an updated version of power-dressing.  Each look was strong and confident, and it was accomplished without sacrificing femininity.

Some of the most established fashion designers might be considering their successors following their departure, but they’re not talking.  Designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani are all in their 70′s, and thoughts of retirement must weigh heavily.  Even if their successors have been named, the designers are keeping silent.  Lagerfeld has already decided that he will work forever, and Chanel has publically stated that “[h]is succession is not on the agenda.” Armani, de la Renta and Lauren are the founders of their respective houses and their departure will definitely leave a void.  Any successor will be confronted with a true legacy.

So far successors of other notable fashion houses have been faced with challenges that saw them leaving prematurely and/or unceremoniously.  Tom Ford had a negative experience at Yves Saint Laurent and Lars Nilsson was essentially forced out at Gianfranco Ferre.  For now, Martin Margiela is the only house to forgo the successor route; the founder Martin Margiela will not be replaced.  Will other fashion houses take this path?  The answer will likely be dependent on the next two or three seasons at Martin Margiela, and the Margiela experiment.

Tough to let go for 70-something fashion designers [Reuters]

Sources Say It’s ‘Inconceivable’ That Chanel Isn’t Thinking About Karl Lagerfeld’s Succession [The Cut]

The collection was classic Armani with a twist, beautiful vibrant colors with a fresh and youthful spin.  He threw in hues of blues, greens and pinks.   One could easily see Rihanna in many of the pieces in the collection, including this look.  I definitely got the feeling of a more relaxed Armani, and it was wonderful.  It’s as though Mr. Armani has declared an end to the recession, and decided it was now a time for celebration.  He offfered several alternatives in dresses and tops, from the one shoulder, the strapless, to the deep plunging V.  Oh, did I mention the accessories?  They were sparkly and fun like many of the pieces in the collection.  I’m so loving the flats for spring, it’s almost as if the designers have read our minds.  We want chic served with a side of comfort.