Since joining the royal family, Princess Charlene of Monaco has been highly praised for her elegant style, easy demeanour and dreamy designer wardrobe. So it's no wonder that the royal fashionista descended on the Italian capital to admire Giorgio Armani's latest offerings – an exquisite finale to Milan Fashion Week fit for a princess.In keeping with Armani's simple yet immaculately tailored collection, she kept her look sleek and sophisticated, looking pretty in pink in an blush blazer from the brand, statement bag and black trousers combo which were perfectly offset by simple make-up and swept back hair.
Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, is a big fan of Armani's strong clean silhouettes and even wore a custom-made Giorgio Armani Prive gown on her wedding day. Friend and fashion adviser to the princess, Giorgio has has been at the forefront of her fashion success since she was first spotted in an Armani creation at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Entitled Garçonne, this was Armani's take on a collection where femininity meets masculinity. The juxtaposition of contrasting looks saw an array of restrained, casual daywear combined with superbly glamorous evening gowns for the designer’s autumn/winter 2013-2014 collection.
Models filed out in sparkling sequin trousers, Bermuda shorts and patterned jumpsuits with the occasional appearance of a backless cocktail dress. The accessories, which included slouchy hats based on Rastafarian headgear, handbags and evening gloves, took centre stage on the runway. The ready-to-wear collection came almost all in shades of black, with hints of gray, navy and purple and spoke to the contemporary woman, who Armani said was ''a little man, a little woman, and a lot of both.''Giorgio – who put the luxury Italian label on the international fashion map in the 1980s – said that around 70 per cent of his annual sales are based on clothes as opposed to the many designers of today who prefer the grand spectacle of a show rather than the apparel that can actually be sold thereafter. ''One thing is to put on a play, the other is to create fashion,'' he said.
Joined by a host of A-listers, the first lady of Monaco mingled on the front row with the likes of Janet Jackson and fellow royal, Ms Tatiana Blatnik, the wife of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark along with her brother Gareth Wittstock who was sat by her side.Armani's endless celebrity clientele is a fine reflection of his position as a world class designer of high society fashion elite. And as he prepared for his Milan fashion show, stars at the Oscars, including Jessica Chastain and Naomi Watts, went head to head in his designs.
