Tag: Madonna feuds

Upon Giorgio Armani’s death, at the age of ninety-one, on September 4th (much to Beyoncé’s dismay), the usual outpouring of celebrity condolences arrived. But one notable celebrity who had worked with Armani in the past remained pointedly silent: Madonna.

Meanwhile, people like M’s self-appointed nemesis, Mariah Carey, posted an image of herself with the designer “lovingly” captioned, “Rest in peace, Mr. Armani,” with an angel wing and broken heart emoji underneath it. Others who “emerged” (online) to pay their respects included Salma Hayek, Celine Dion, Cindy Crawford, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Jessica Chastain, Cate Blanchett and Michelle Pfeiffer.

But while Pfeiffer and co. might all be “heartbroken” about the loss, it’s safe to say that said word isn’t necessarily what would be used to describe Madonna’s feelings about it. After all, the two share a famously fraught history, centered on one of Madonna’s most notorious performances at the 2015 BRIT Awards. As in, the one where her backup dancers went to rip off her cape, as previously rehearsed, only to find that the cape not only wouldn’t budge (even though one can clearly see Madonna attempting to loosen the string beforehand), but that it yanked the Queen of Pop down a flight of stairs along with it.

And so, what would (and should) have been a pristine performance of “Living for Love,” the lead single from her then new album, Rebel Heart, became yet another opportunity for media and internet cruelty against her (particularly of the kind, as usual, directed at her “caducity”—as if a cape pulling her backward couldn’t have happened to someone of any age). With such scrutiny and harshness in the aftermath of the fall, part of Madonna’s explanation for the turn of events was a matter of improper design in that the heaviness of that cape meant that she and her team were concerned it might fall off prematurely.

So it was that the tie on the collar was knotted extra tightly, sealing Madonna’s tumbling fate out onstage. Armani, however wasn’t about to take any blame, leading with the assertion, “Madonna, as we know, is very difficult.” But before getting into the rest of what he said as his “counter-argument” about the cause of the fall, let us first unpack how that declaration panders to misogyny in general and the specific misogyny so often funneled toward Madonna. In this instance, contained heavily in the conspiratorial “as we know”—like everyone, whether or a friend or stranger to Madonna, is well-versed in her “diva antics.” Branded a diva largely only because of her gender.

A reality she was already keenly aware of back in the 80s, when she unapologetically announced to People, “I’m tough, I’m ambitious and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay.” But it still wasn’t “okay” to many men, whether “civilians” or those in and orbiting the entertainment industry. Armani certainly fitting the latter bill, currently being credited as the man responsible for reshaping the red carpet at awards shows (particularly the Oscars). Though, of course, none of Madonna’s signature red carpet looks were ever Armani. Telling indeed.

As it is that the only thing that really makes her a “bitch” (or “difficult,” the “polite” euphemism for bitch) is the fact that she isn’t a man, the only gender from which such “outlandish” behavior—assertiveness—is accepted. With Armani himself being a, let’s say, very fastidious man himself. The sort of man who wouldn’t take kindly to suggestions about making “adjustments” to his clothes. For, as Armani was also sure to add to his defense in the matter of M’s BRIT Awards fall, “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.”

But oh, there’s so much more to it than that. For a start, his “logic” doesn’t entirely track. Seeing as how hook closure could have easily caused a similar issue, even more so to a certain extent. Because to time, exactly right, the moment when she would need to unfasten the hook as the dancers pulled her cape off would also have plenty of “snafu” potential. In truth, the best “closure mechanism” for the garment would have been a snap—not a hook or a tie.

Alas, no such compromise was reached, and it seemed their ephemeral working relationship never quite repaired after what would become one of Madonna’s most unforgettable performances for all the wrong reasons. And the entire incident likely only confirmed to Madonna why, when it comes to couture, she had always been such a loyal collaborator with, primarily, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana. And Versace, for that matter. Both Gianni and Donatella. It was the latter who wrote a particularly effusive elegy for her fellow Italian designer: “The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.” To Madonna, however, he will merely be remembered forever as the man that almost made her “RIP” before he did.