Lots of people have worn Armani to the Venice Film Fest, which makes sense given that it’s an Italian brand, and certainly we frequently see Cate in it regardless. But what did strike me as unusual is that, the span of three days, she picked two from the most recent collection that are so clearly cousins. They’re both sleek black columns with a flashy, dramatic touch – the first, a feathered shawl, and here of course the massive sleeve that looks like a sparkling Olympic torch. (I had flagged it for Amy Adams, just so as not to suggest Cate or Nicole Kidman for everything.) I’m not saying they’re identical, and she looked nice in both of them, but: Cate usually shakes it up a bit more than this. Even the styling is similar. What gives, Blanche? Was it jet lag? From what I can tell, she wasn’t even there promoting anything; just hanging out, or whatever, so maybe she was content to take whatever Armani could send her in a flash. I might’ve picked the other one and then worn something archival again, after her big but ultimately short-lived stand on that in Cannes, but perhaps the allure of a Sleeve was too great.
