The Good, the Bad and the Furry

There's a lot for New Yorkers to like about Giorgio Armani at the moment. Last night, as the evening news was filled with reports of sinking stocks and the need for President Obama's stimulus plan to succeed, the Italian designer opened a massive flagship store on Fifth Avenue that seems set to attract tourists and locals alike. Armani also announced yesterday that he's donating $1 million to The Fund for Public Schools, with that money specifically earmarked to start arts programs in his name at schools in the Big Apple. Grazie Armani!

The opening night party at the store attracted everyone from Robert De Niro to Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl ... and plenty of PETA protesters outside speaking out against Armani's use of fur. It was a potent reminder of just how much fur was shown on yesterday's runways at shows by designers like Dennis Basso and Pamella Roland's Pamella DeVos, and how little sense it makes to wear it, whether your primary concern is economic or humane.

At Matthew Williamson's bright show, the colorful fur embellishments seemed superfluous and showy; at Behnaz Serafpour, the best looks weren't the mink and fox pieces but a group of swingy, vintage-inspired wool coats with a sweet (but not too sweet) Holly Golightly feel. It certainly seems like Jason Wu, who reportedly decided to take the fur out of his show a few weeks before he showed on Friday, made the right decision to construct his pieces with kinder, gentler fabrics.

Photo of Matthew Williamson designs by Ali Goldstein.