Night in the Sahara at Armani

While others were doing light and bright Giorgio Armani was at the other end of the color spectrum for spring. Producing a collection almost wholly in navy blue, inspired by the star-lit sky seen over the Saharan desert, Armani presented a study in layers. Skirts over both sheer and opaque pants, lots of silky fabrics and wonderfully cut jackets, as well as jagged glass jewelry and sequins that brought home his star-and-sky inspiration. The headdresses and gauzy cuts of some of the pants and skirts were a direct reference to the tribal style of the Sahara while the one-shouldered evening gowns would be at home on any red carpet.

Cavalli is Still Sexy at 40

Roberto Cavalli celebrated 40 years in the business with a collection that was, well, quintessentially Cavalli. Bohemian and maximalist, sexy and seductive, the looks included floaty chiffons and the designer's favored animal prints. The Florentine designer opted for an star-studded open-air show for his main collection and a party in Paris to mark the auspicious anniversary. The Cavalli woman is one who is confident, self-assured and more than willing to opt for the body conscious, cut-out dress rather than the simpler frock. She will also surely approve of the rocker chic pants (patterned, distressed and adorned with lace-ups) paired with multicolor biker jackets and scarves that Cavalli showed for spring, not to mention the diaphanous printed chiffon skirts and dresses.