"A Woman's Dress Should Be Like a Barbed-wire Fence; Serving It's Purpose Without Obstructing the View" Sophia Loren

Today is on fashion...a warning to those who don't care ( Good-Bye Husband and Thomas). It's Thursday, which is my favorite Wall Street Journal day because of the fashion section. I started to title this "Passion for Fashion"...but then I caught myself and remembered that I must have been studying with The Boy too long for his poetry test...Here we go..

1) Giorgio Armani, one of my favorite designers, is 75 years old. Having recently been side-lined due to a bout with hepatitis, there was speculation that he was going to hand over the reigns to someone else. Thankfully , he let everyone know at the Milan Fashion week that there would be no mergers or acquisitions. I find it amazing and admirable that he is so hands-on and such a perfectionist. My guess is he will eventually groom his niece, Roberta, to take over. She is in charge of PR...knowledgeable, elegant.. a great figure-head for the classic-yet-modern line. Anytime Michelle Pfieffer or Cate Blanchett walk the Red Carpet and look fabulous, you can bet they are wearing Armani...

2) Dolce and Gabbana shook things up on the front row during their Milan fashion show. Besides the usual fashion regular, Anna Wintour of Vogue, for one (because hey, if you snub her...you don't get in the magazine)...they tipped their hats to the new technological age by giving some prime seats to some online bloggers....I find this interesting, because it was only a couple of years ago when the designers were kind of looking down their noses at online stores...It seemed unlikely that a woman would spend a lot of money on a dress or shoes without trying them on. But if you check the success of Net-a-Porter.com or bluefly...you see that they actually will. The bloggers not only provide free marketing for the designers...but for those fashionistas who cannot attend the shows...they are given a an up-to-the-minute breakdown of what was shown, how much it cost, and where you can find it.
As for Dolce and Gabbana...LOVE them At first glance, their clothes seem overtly sexy, bordering on risque. But they are so well-made and well-cut that they work. I bought a skirt from their line 10 years ago in NY at Saks, and it has been (and still is) a staple in my wardrobe. It is the best-fitting skirt I own. I also have a terrific LBD that I bought from bluefly.com for a special event a few years back. At first glance, it seemed a little too sexy...The Husband was thrown for a minute by the peek-a-boo bra subtley showing.but again, the cut is so perfect that it works.

3) Christain La Croix, the french designer who has long been the symbol of haute-couture has been saved from bankruptcy by an Arab sheik. This is just so funny to me. I'm anxious to see what effect this will have on his wildly innovative line. You are never going to see his clothes at the mall...but the fashion world would just not be the same without his crazy, costumey designs.

4) Same goes for Versace. Having struggled financially in the past few years, Donatella finally let go of her CEO who had pushed her to be more "commercial". Without his influence, her new collection is full of micro-minis, see-through plastic, and babydoll dresses....Now I don't wear or long for Versace, but again, the edginess of the line is good for the fashion world and it does translate well on the Red Carpet.

5) My favorite show of the week was Missoni. I cannot afford any of their luxe knits or sweaters...but if money was no object, they would be my go-to collection for spring. Their signature stripes and patterns and layers are so "hippie, elegant chic"...and I have to say...the striped coke bottles that they handed out at their show...marketing genius. I'll be scouring e-bay for that bottle...

So that's it for today. I realize the Milan fashion week is not on everyone's radar...but hey, if you have a "passion for fashion"...it's a big deal. So until tomorrow, when it is Friends and Grandparents day at the kid's school...