Armani Says Everyone Knows Madonna's "Difficult"

Madonna wears a Giorgio Armani cape at the Brit Awards. Photo: Getty Images

Capes might be having a moment, but that doesn’t make them easy to wear. You can stand still–like Beyonce did at the Grammys—and look positively regal. Or you can dance, channeling Madonna’s Brit Awards performance, and fall flat.

Following Madonna’s epic spill while wearing a Giorgio Armani cape over her matador costume, the singer blamed its weight: ”I was told to tie my cape and start much further back and I had to walk further, and everyone was worried my cape would slide off, so they tied it really tight around my neck,” she said on The Jonathan Ross Show (a late night British talk show). “I got to the top of the stairs and I pulled the silky string, and it wouldn’t come undone. … I had two choices: I could either be strangled or fall, and I chose to fall.”

Not so fast. Mr. Armani fired back on Tuesday, telling the AP, “Madonna, as we know, is very difficult. This cape had a hook and she wanted a tie, and she wasn’t able to open it with her hands. That’s all there is to it.” While it was lovely of the designer to cushion the blow with “as we know,” as if he wasn’t revealing or confirming any diva-like attitude, it’s still surprising for a designer to come out swinging at a superstar. While both are legendary enough to not need the other, it’s better to play nice—on both sides. As for the kicker, “that’s all there is to it,” all you need to do is watch Madonna’s killer dance moves to see that there is, in fact, quite a bit more, including balancing on heels, walking up and down stairs, and coordinating with half-naked, half-bull dancers. Ball’s in your court Madge.

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