Armani bright and upbeat for spring and summer _ an apt response to succession rumors

Armani presents upbeat spring/summer collection

MILAN — Giorgio Armani presented a bright and upbeat spring/summer 2010 collection at Milan Fashion Week on Thursday, an apt response to speculation over succession at his Milan fashion house after the designer’s recent illness.

The normally urban Armani went for a bright summer look with cheerful hounds tooth prints and youthful short styles.

The show opened with loose harem pants paired with cropped tailored jackets, clutches and ankle strapped sandals. The outfits set the tone for the collection, which featured lots of loose-fitting and comfortable pieces paired with more structured looks — a bubble skirt and cropped jacket, or loose blousey tops and short pleated skirts.

Everything was short, even evening wear, which included loose shorts, or sparkly shorts under slightly shorter dresses.

Deep open V backs were ideal for showing off well-tanned backs, sometimes crisscrossed by strips of fabric.

Janet Jackson, spending the week in Milan ahead of a charity dinner she is chairing next week, made an appearance at the second show.

A well-tanned Armani, dressed completely in black, waved to the crowd after the show before disappearing backstage.

“No purchases, no sales,” the designer told reporters after the show, answering speculation about succession at the fashion house.

Armani told Italian media in May that he had been battling hepatitis. Several missed public appearances in the spring and a gaunt appearance at the June menswear shows in Milan had raised concerns about his health. But he has recently said he is feeling well and is winning the battle with the disease.

Armani, 75, has remained firmly in control of the fashion house he founded, despite speculation over eventual succession.