Let’s begin a review of the Armani Prive` show with the evening-wear. Because why not. For Fall 2012 Couture, Giorgio Armani (and presumably a substantial team of designers, drapers, flat patternmakers, seamstresses and embroiderers) showed a collection that was oddly reminiscent of a David Lynch film from the early 90’s.

Look at these gowns! Can’t you just see Isabella Rossellini swanning around in any of them with her brows done super dark and heavy and her hair all slicked back? Okay maybe that’s more a la` her role in Death Becomes Her, but you see what I mean.

Obviously the gowns are beautiful and sort of darkly, aggressively chic. They just don’t feel very fresh or modern to me, especially after the revelation that was Raf’s show for Dior. While it may seem unfair to compare, I do think the Dior show is now the standard to which the rest of the shows will be held. And rightly so. -RS (Image via Vogue.com)