Paris, Jan. 23: At an age when most men are putting their feet up, Giorgio Armani, 71, has never been busier.

“I don’t have time to think about retiring,” he said in Paris yesterday as he put the finishes touches to his latest haute couture collection.

Armani Priv?, which will open the Paris haute couture season for Spring/Summer 2006, is a sizzling departure for the designer once known as Mr Beige. Vibrant colour, sinuous gowns in lace and mirrored sequins slashed at the back, and stiletto platform sandals in shocking pink and lime green all point to a sexy new image for the brand. “I’m having a real adventure with Priv?, exploring new ideas of femininity and glamour,” Armani said. The collection of made-to-order suits, dresses and red carpet gowns, priced ?12,000 to ?48,000, is the jewel in the crown of Armani’s ?900 million global empire.

Launched exactly one year ago, the couture label already has a portfolio of celebrity clients including Cate Blanchett and Beyonc?. “Couture is usually seen as the icing on the cake, but in my case, it’s making money.”