"Two or three times, we've been backstage, he's grabbed my hand, said, 'Put on some makeup, ' and taken me out with him for a bow, " says Silvana.

WSJ: The Future of Armani

Singer and lyricist Silvana Kane knows the Pacific Coast well.

NPR: Pacifika: Peaceful Pop Sounds, in Spanish

The 57-year-old Silvana, reserved and understatedly elegant in her slacks, button-down shirt and ponytail, started out as a model and swimwear designer for her uncle in the 1970s, and today oversees the women's collections.

WSJ: The Future of Armani