Samsung + Armani, Next On The Electric Fashion Stage

It appears that Armani and Samsung are to introduce a new mobile phone in Europe in October. A source at Samsung indicated that other Armani products are also in the works. I recently had a chat with a Prada executive who said they too had been approached about doing Prada TV's and the like, but said no because without a furniture line it made little sense. Armani has Armani Casa, of course, so the joint venture makes more sense for him. Prada might consider doing another phone with LG however, if LG can keep ahead of the iPhone design curve. And of course that's a big if. Philips has been doing of fashion collaboration of a different sort -- earphones and USB memory keys with Swarovski and dresses that magically recreate themselves with Hussein Chalayan. In this video, Chalayan talks about his desire to team up with an technology company to produce clothes that change shape and calls the dresses in finale of his spring/ summer 2007 collection "almost prototypes." Let's hope Chalayan and Philips are still working together. It is the most fascinating of these collaboration by far. □