Paris Couture: Armani tones down the glitz

Armani, toning down the glitz, opened France's three-day haute couture marathon Monday with a spring-summer collection featuring strictly tailored suits and dresses as light and frothy as a pina colada on a warm summer's night.

In contrast to his debut collection in January, &to=http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/95/381/13528_shevchenko.html ' target=_blank>Armani replaced the abundance of crystal-studded frocks with 1980s Saint Laurent-style sobriety and ultra feminine frocks.

"I don't believe couture should be shown in the context of a big, splashy show," confided Armani just before his models hit the catwalk. "My clients don't want to see their dresses all over the press."