Armani marks Fashion Week by opening a new 5th Avenue store

While most of the fashion world cuts its cloth according to the new economic circumstances - shows at New York Fashion Week are notably less extravagant this year - Giorgio Armani shows no such restraint. On Tuesday night, the Italian designer rolled out the red carpet for the opening for his label's new, glitzy mega store on 5th Avenue, which attracted the likes of Victoria Beckham, Leonardo DiCaprio, Caroline Kennedy, Alicia Keys and Mira Sorvino.

The A-listers braved near-freezing temperatures, with a coatless Beckham, who presented her own designs at the Waldorf Towers hotel on Sunday night, showing a good deal of herself in a silvery sequined one-strap dress. She kicked off the adulatory fest to Armani that followed by saying she hoped she could one day emulate his success: "I have so much respect for Mr Armani - you know, I can dream."

Alicia Keys joined in. "I love his style. I love his passion. I love how Italian he is. I love that he doesn't speak English... I love the way he makes a woman be a woman."

Meanwhile, in a fashion week online diary for the New York Times, Armani (pictured at last night's event between the actress Zoe Saldana and the singer Solange Knowles) appeared keen to reveal his more socially responsible side. He told readers how he had paid a visit to DreamYard, a public art center in the Bronx, with Caroline Kennedy, and how they had used public transport to get back to civilisation.

"Caroline and I decided to hop on the subway on our way back down to the city centre, which turned out to be a much faster way of getting back. It was really crowded when we got on at 161st Street, but later I sat down next to a nice lady in a North Face puffer jacket and ski hat. She told me she assisted elderly people, and I asked to see her card. I told her, 'Who knows when I might need your help?' Just kidding, of course. When I got up, I left her my own scarf as a parting gift."

 ·