THE MOST FAMOUS ITALIAN

Giorgio Armani, 70, is one of the most internationally known stylists. I take the risk to presume that he is probably the most known living Italian at present. Just this fact alone has for a long time aroused my burning desire to interview him for the “SE” and after Giorgio Armani became the sponsor of the Milan’s “Olimpia” basketball club a real opportunity appeared to talk to the celebrity about sport, fashion, Shevchenko, Ukraine.

There were times when “Olimpia” shone bright both in Italy and Europe. However, in recent years the Milan’s team dragged out a miserable existence. The way out was found thanks to the serie “A” football major clubs – “Milano” and “Inter”. The governing bodies of these clubs decided to join the financial and marketing efforts in order to restore the former glory of “Olimpia”. Georgio Armani was invited to join the project, he promptly responded to the attractive proposal. Today it is too early to speak about the final results of the experiment but the first harvest is on hand: “Olimpia” which is now called “The Armani Jeans” is in the lead in the national championship. And home matches of this club gather full house, which did not happen in Milan for many years. Giorgio Armani who spends a lot of time outside of Italy uses every opportunity to be present at home matches of the team sponsored by him. And he is really an ardent fan of his team, sitting in the first row and not limiting himself in emotions.

However, during the meeting with Giorgio Armani I was first of all interested in questions related in any case with Russia. And the most famous Italian in the world gave his answers with pleasure in a special interview for the “SE”’s readers.

Pregnant Beyonce shows a flair for maternity chic as she steps out

in a stylish ensemble in NYC

The singer, actress and fashion mogul, who announced her pregnancy at last month’s MTV Video Music Awards, was recently asked if she wishes she wasn’t so famous.

‘Well sometimes,’ she told ET Canada. ‘I always have those moments but it’s my life and I can’t complain. I’m very fortunate. I love what I do.’And, you know, I still – it’s strange but I’ve gotten a lot of respect from paparazzi and people just kinda letting me live and spend time and go on dates and kinda be a human,’ she added.

Meanwhile her usually uber-private husband, rapper Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, finally opened up about his wife’s pregnancy.

The 41-year-old mogul spoke to E! News about becoming a father at the Shawn Carter Foundation charity carnival at Pier 54 last night.

‘I’m excited! I think that is pretty easy,’ he gushed.

Their baby, which is rumoured to be a girl, is due next spring

Les Dawson’s model daughter Charlotte overdoes the fake tan  as

she celebrates her 19th birthday

She is starting to make a name for herself in the modelling industry.

But Les Dawson’s daughter Charlotte might need to read up on beauty treatments before she really hits the big time.

The teenager appeared to have somewhat overdone the fake tan as she stepped out to celebrate her 19th birthday in Liverpool last night.

Charlotte displayed her deeply bronzed skin in a leopard-print dress and matching shoes as she met up with friends at the city’s San Carlo Italian restaurant.

The pretty brunette teamed her outfit with loose curls and a red bag.

Charlotte revealed earlier this year that she had signed with renowned London-based agency IMM.

Charlotte says she ‘definitely’ shares a sense of humour with her father – who died in 1993 – and can even mimic his famous gurn.

She said: ‘I can do all his faces and I look a lot like him really.’

Charlotte, who is dating 24-year-old soldier Alex Stewart, is also hoping to make it in the acting world, as well as becoming a successful model.

Later this year, she will be starring in the Peter Pan pantomime in Durham’s Heated Theatre Big Top, which runs from December 16th to January 2nd 2012.

Have never liked thin models on the catwalk, says Giorgio Armani

Giorgio Armani, President, Executive Director and exclusive shareholder of Giorgio Armani company, one of the largest designer fashion houses in the world, retail sales volume of which makes more than 4 billion EURO. His company employs 5,000 employees, he is the owner of 13 factories and 300 exclusive retail shops in 39 countries of the world. Giorgio Armani S.p.A. is one of few private companies in the fashion world which remained independent and possesses a progressive strategy of business development and grand potential.

Giorgio Armani was born on July 11, 1934 in Piacenza in the north of Italy. In 1957 after having studied medicine for 2 years in Piacenza University Giorgio Armani got fascinated with designing fashionable clothes and decided to leave his native city in order to start working as merchandiser and buyer at Rinascente department store. Consequently, Armani started developing the men’s clothing for Nina Cerruti brand, and later on he became a freelance designer working for different companies which considerably enriched his experience and contributed to the unique versatility of his style.

After having been a freelancer for several years he was ready for creating his own brand and that’s why he instantly accepted the offer of his partner Sergio Galeotti to found a joint company. On July 24, 1975 they founded Giorgio Armani S.p.A. and launched the men’s and women’s ready-to-wear clothing lines. Giorgio Armani unique philosophy of fashion and style, along with his business talent have contributed to his success. Giorgio Armani is on alert for both strategical development of his company and all the art and design aspects. He acquired the world fame thanks to revolutionary innovations in the world of fashion, such as the legendary ‘’shapeless jacket” which he created in the 80-s of the last century. For already more than 30 years Armani has been offering his clients to choose from different styles, creating a number of collections including the main line Giorgio Armani, as well as Giorgio Armani Prive, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, Armani Jeans, Armani Junior, A/X Armani Exchange and Armani Casa. Today the range of Giorgio Armani S.p.A products comprise men’s and women’s clothing lines, footwear, bags, watch, spectacles, jewelry, perfume and cosmetics, furniture and household goods.

During his fashion activity Giorgio Armani got several national and international awards, such as Gran Cavaliere della Repubblica, Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica (the highest governmental in Italy), Award for Best International Designer and Lifetime Achievement Award from Council of Fashion Designers of America for the men’s clothes collection. In 2003 he was conferred honourable Doctor’s Degree by the Royal Art College of London and Rodeo Drive Walk of Style award for innovation job in uniting worlds of fashion and cinema. Armani was also UNO ambassador.

In 2000 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York celebrated the social and cultural influence of Giorgio Armani through dedicated exhibition of his which then was shown in all the most prestigious museums of the world -Guggenheim in Bilbao, London Royal Academy of Arts, Terme di Diocleziano and Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.

Giorgio Armani is a well known fashion designer who owns and operates his self-named brand of clothing and is touted as Italy’s most successful fashion designer.

Born on July 11, 1934 in Piacenza, Italy, Giorgio Armani originally planned on studying medicine and attended Milan University in order to become a doctor. Instead of pursuing the medical arts, however, Armani found his passion in photography. In 1957, at the age of 23, Armani was called on for military service with the Italian armed forces.

When he returned from service, Giorgio Armani took a job as a window dresser in a store named La Rinascente in Milan. Armani later credited his experience with the department store with helping him focus on his clean lines and elegant styles that would later serve as the trademark to his fashion lines.

After travelling back and forth to England, Armani took a job as a designer with the fashion house Nino Cerruti. He stayed there from 1961 to 1970 designing clothes for the Hitman line before leaving to work as a freelance designer.

His observations of English fashion served him well and his appreciation for clean lines helped him start his own label in 1974. He started his label with his friend and partner Sergio Galeotti and, in 1975, started a womenswear line with his sister, Rosanna Armani. Ten years later, after a successful decade of fashion, Galeotti died of AIDS.

Armani has since seen the launch of Armani Underwear, Giorgio Armani Junior, Armani Accessories, Swimwear, and Occhiali. He even developed a line of off-field sportswear for the English football team.

A good understanding of branding power led him to open a line of less expensive clothing entitled Emporio Armani and Armani Jeans in 1981. The success of his multiple labels led to the Armani makekup line in 2000.

Although he still wants his fashions to represent the type of clothing that can be worn on the streets, Giorgio Armani has developed his lines beyond the wide padded power suits of the 1980s and, instead focused more on the subtle masculine and feminine lines of the early 21st century.

Armani was the first fashion designer to ban ultra-thin models from his fashion shows, focusing instead on women with a Body Mass Index of over 18. He was also the first fashion designer to broadcast a fashion show live via the internet for the spring/summer show of 2007.

His wide range of styles and broad appeal has earned him international recognition in both the fashion world and as a versatile designer for the common man. As a result, Giorgio Armani has earned millions with his fashion every year, amassing a fortune with his vast talent.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced at the 4^th anniversary celebration of his accession to becoming the ruler of Dubai, the long awaited grand opening of the Burj Dubai and its subsequent name change to the Burj Khalifa, in honor of HH Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE, and ruler of the neighboring Emirate of Abu Dhabi.  The Burj Khalifa, standing over 828 metres high is now recognized as the world’s tallest building, and will house the newest in designer hotels, the Giorgio Armani Hotel.

As the first of four hotels being decorated and designed by the esteemed Giorgio Armani, this designer hotel is scheduled for opening in April 2010.  When open, it will occupy 15 of the first 39 floors of the Burj Khalifa, and will house 160 rooms, in addition to the150 suites that will be located in the Armani Residence, allowing many to make Armani their long-term lifestyle choice.  Upon their opening, Dubaishortstay.com will be offering both as amazingly new accommodation choices in the beautiful city of Dubai.   

To add to the success of luxurious hospitality in Dubai, Emaar, the largest property developer in Dubai, has agreed   to launch and manage a number of additional Giorgio Armani hotels within Dubai as well as some additional hotels, worldwide, throughout some of the world’s most prominent cities.  When completed, the project will launch Emaar into the stratosphere as being one of the world’s most valuable companies within the hospitality industry.

When launched, the hotel will provide rooms on floors 5 through 8, and suites will be offered on floors 38 and 39.  The Armani Residence will house suites on floors 16 through 37, consisting of one and two bedroom luxury apartments ranging from 100 sq. metres to 215 sq. metres.  Magnificently decorated and furnished by the Armani Casa Collection, they offer elegant yet comfortable living environment.

This luxury residence will complement the new Armani Hotel Dubai, consisting of 160 rooms that offer the ultimate in luxury and hospitality, in addition to the fine views provided from its location in this iconic tower. Giorgio Armani has been quoted as saying “The Burj Dubai is a remarkable architectural achievement and provides the perfect setting for my first Armani Residences.” (This statement being made before the announcement of the change in the tower’s name.)

The Burj Khalifa is a mixed use tower consisting of commercial floors, furnished apartments, and the biggest brand names in amenities.  It is surrounded by Old Town, Downtown Burj Dubai, and the Dubai Mall (one of the largest malls in the region), the Burj Boulevard, as well as various other entertainment venues.

Armani Hotel Dubai will certainly be a great addition to Dubai’s hospitality industry, as well as complimenting what is already the great success of Dubai’s tourism industry.  Dubai hotels have left prints on history with regards to their uniquely designed structures that have become iconic land marks against the Dubai skyline, and their reputations for their high quality of services making them leaders in the hospitality industry, worldwide.

Sarah Silverman insists her heart nearly stopped Saturday night when she saw her full frontal nudity scene in Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz, which bowed at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“I was completely watching it (TIFF premiere) and having fun, and when the swimming pool scene was coming, I panicked,” Silverman told a Sunday afternoon press conference in Toronto.

“Then, when it came, and I saw my full frontal, I had an actual heart attack -- and I’m proud to have done it,” the Emmy-winning actress added.

Silverman insisted director Polley wanted “real bodies and real women” of all sizes in her romantic drama that also stars Canadian funnyman Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams.

"So I actually gained 20 pounds for the role. I wanted to be lumpier. I said, wouldn’t it be interesting to have a posture of a lady caveman. I’m really happy with that,” she told the TIFF presser.

For his part, Rogen said he faced no real challenge moving from comedy to drama in Polley’s second feature, which received red carpet treatment at Roy Thomson Hall.

“It’s the same shit, but you don’t tell jokes,” he said.

The 2011 Emmy Awards haven't even begun and Giorgio Armani is already a winner, dressing two stunning TV stars.

The Good Wife Best Actress nominee Julianna Margulies swept the carpet in the Italian designer's stunning white satin structured bodice  gown from his Armani Prive collection. For those of you who don't speak fashionese, Prive is Armani's couture line and that means extremely expensive, made to measure, just for your body.

Former Emmy nominee Top Chef Padma Lakshmi was also in a one-shoulder gold satin Armani Prive design. She explained that she had quite a few dresses ready and they were all gorgeous. But she told E!'s Kelly Osbourne that she first saw this Armani Prive gown yesterday when she flew into Los Angeles.

As she sweetly put it," What could be nicer than an Armani dress?" What indeed. But unless she was fitted for this gown months ago, this means she is probably a designer sample size 2 and only a few tweaks were necessary for a runway-worn gown to fit her like a glove.

Praising Armani effusively, the gorgeous chef describes the experience of wearing her couture gown: "It's like wearing a nightgown."

So the girl is gorgeous, she can cook and she's probably a size 2. Feel free to hate her.