Madonna shocked by Giorgio Armani criticism

Madonna was shocked when fashion designer Giorgio Armani branded her "very difficult" after she blamed her BRIT Awards stage fall on the cape he created.

The pop icon suffered an embarrassing fall while performing at the BRIT Awards in London in February (15), and afterwards she explained the Armani cloak she was wearing was secured too tightly and she could not untie it before a dancer went to pull it off and accidentally dragged her backwards down a set of steps.

The outfit's designer subsequently hit headlines by publicly scolding Madonna, branding her "very difficult", and the singer admits she was blindsided by his criticism because he had sent her flowers after the performance.

Madonna tells Britain's The Sun newspaper, "I don't know why he said that. When I read it, I was like, 'Oh really?' He made me a lovely outfit. I was very appreciative. Afterwards, he sent me flowers. He thanked me and applauded me for getting back on stage."