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This autumn, her clothes were even more pared back than usual as the designer took simple, classic pieces and put her signature twist on them to achieve the modern, almost architectural look for which she is known.

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On a lined tennis court surrounded by stadium seating, models walked purposefully up and down the runway in a series of intelligently layered looks. The deceptively simple pieces are often twisted and completely reworked into something more conceptual, from the silk slip dresses that are knotted to the side to the oversized asymmetric sweaters.  All of these were worn over long, flared trousers, which infused the catwalk with a breed of leisurely elegance.

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The outerwear was a particular highlight, from the ultra-modern trenches to the unstructured capes with their cape-like hoods. The bags themselves were ordinary, but the way the Celine woman wears them is anything but; pouches strapped to waists, totes worn across the chest, clutches dangling from straps wrapped around a wrist.

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Flashes of blue and green bought to life Philo’s signature neutral palette of warm beige, cream and black, adding to the hundreds of little quirks that her “basics” feel anything but basic. An understated yet sophisticated collection, which will surely go down well with the army of Celine fans out there.

Grace Cain

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Using the quintessential Galliano bias-cut silhouette as his starting point, Gaytten juxtaposed the feminine with the masculine (the latter inspired by the military uniforms as depicted by artist Francisco Goya).

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Utilitarian outerwear featuring epaulettes and grosgrain trimming was slung over 1930s-inspired silk dresses in shades of pale blue and pink. Elsewhere, these jackets were layered over lace tie-neck blouses teamed with dandyish cropped trousers.

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Chantilly and guipure lace dresses felt romantic in pastel pink, white or black, but paired with the contemporary lace-up sneaker boots they took on a fresh, modern feel. The same was true of the floaty chiffon skirts, layered beneath more structured jackets and blouses. Quirky little eccentricities, such as vintage-style newsboy caps and pocket watches, gave the collection a fun tomboyish twist.

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The black, strapless ballgown with its rippled surface and dramatic skirt felt more than a little red carpet ready, whilst elsewhere semi-sheer designs with asymmetrically draping shoulders and necklines revealed daring flashes of skin. A creative set of clothes that saw Gaytten strike the elusive balance between eccentric romanticism and viable style.

Grace Cain

Elie Saab presented a glamorous autumn/winter 2016 collection at Jardin de Tuiliers for Paris Fashion Week. This is our complete behind the scenes coverage.

Photos: Ambra Vernuccio

Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto presented minimalist, dark autumn/winter 2016 collection at Théâtre National de Chaillot: Accueil for Paris Fashion Week. This is our complete behind the scenes coverage.

Photos: Ambra Vernuccio

Designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae continued his work with SS16’s Baked Stretch, where he printed glue onto fabric and stretched it to create unique moulded pleats, and the collection featured pieces with elaborate, intricate, almost headache-inducing waves and lines formed in the cloth.

This free-flowing material looked like light refracted through a prism, a dancing spectrum of colour. Some of these pleats were arranged in geometric grids or concentric circles and the effect was entrancing and hypnotic. It was also ever so slightly nauseating, as the moving interwoven lines and waves playing with perspective and added a trompe l’oeil effect.

However, the ever-innovative house have continued pioneering into pleats with their latest effect: 3D Steam Stretch. Instead of stretching the fabric, this process uses heat to shrink it, thereby creating abundantly structured ruffles and flounces. This was used alongside bright chenille wool for subtly intricate winter warm, but also with heating the fabric at different angles to create swirling, rippling pleats at varying angles.

This created mesmerising shapes and, although the colours were less bold, these accordion-like 3D structures were even more eye-catching. The standout looks showcased stripes heated to form snail shell spirals, which slowly unfurled across the piece and were mirrored by more flowing lines and patterns.

Issey Miyake are, once again, com-plete-ly ahead of the curve.

Catherine Phipps
Photos: Ambra Vernuccio

Japanese designer Issey Miyake an eye-dazzling, 3D-driven autumn/winter 2016 collection at Jardin Des Tuileries for Paris Fashion Week. This is our complete behind the scenes coverage.

Photos: Ambra Vernuccio

To see our full show report for Issey Miyake’s A/W 2016 collection visit here.

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Mabille showed huge similarities to his pre-fall show, with the same emphasis on silk pajamas, gold nautical buttons and navy paired with florals, although this time far more dusky. The velvet smoking jackets, tuxedo theme and casually luxe dressing that we saw in his SS16 couture collection were also prominent, but this time many featured hot Paris pink and were styled far more casually.

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Athleisure also took the stage, with a few looks featuring jersey sweatshirts, one with a cheeky velvet cat motif, crêpe jogging trousers and t-shirts. A stand-out was a gorgeously chic pyjama ensemble, cut from the inky blue and black “sports stripes” crêpe that played a huge role in the collection, with a peignoir-cum-tuxedo jacket and velvet cuffs.

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Alongside the pops of fuschia and navy and black stripes were the playful cat motifs, peeking their heads out every so often. As well as blue “cat-mouflage” chambray, there was the cat-kiss dress, in an ebony point d’esprit tulle, with the playful flourish of two velvet kissing cats embroidered on the bodice. These outfits were accessorised with statement quartz jewellery, slabs of blue agate as necklaces and rings, and steel blue tassel hair extensions, fringing being another key player on the catwalk.

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Interestingly, the designer’s trademark bow only appeared a few of times, worked into a scarf or as a subtle detail on a belt, proof that the maximalist is on a journey and adopting a more refined chic. His new collection is opulently casual, elegant and surprisingly wearable. Purrfect.

Catherine Phipps

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Indian designer Manish Arora presented an extravagant and colourful autumn/winter 2016 collection at Le Comptoir General for Paris Fashion Week. This is our complete behind the scenes coverage.

Photos: Ambra Vernuccio

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Guillarmé was aiming for “edgy retro glamour” and featured plenty of beautiful lace appliqué and broderie anglaise gowns, in colours ranging from pale powder blue to a vampish ruby red. There were a variety of textures, with a few laser-cut neoprene pieces and plenty of black eye-lash lace contrasted with white or pink colour blocking.

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Each dress celebrated femininity and sex appeal, some with playfully structured skater or flare skirts, and some by fitting to the models’ curves. A standout piece was a sheer, inky blue satin silk gown, with lace appliqué detailing on the bodice, long sleeves and a floor-length hemline. Many of Guillarmé’s looks featured high necks and managed to still embody the femme fatale without being overly revealing.

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Most of the dresses were bold and embellished with crystals, with either glittering metallic or red or black leather clutches, alongside statement drop-down rhinestones earrings. Some looks also featured heavy circular pendants with sea-creature motifs, surprisingly reminiscent of The Little Mermaid. The hair, however, softened all of these accessories. All of the styles featured braids, interlocking with a soft geometric intricacy. Many were updos or half-up half-down and this delicate evening look worked well with their classic red

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Guillarmé’s new collection is playful and sexy statement. There’s so much to see that it’s certainly not boring.

Catherine Phipps

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This season, these thoughts of a future experienced digitally were on Nicolas Ghesquiere’s mind. Himself known for his forward-thinking ideas and techniques, the designer used the collection to explore the juxtaposition between technology and nature.

With this in mind, Ghesquire’s army of cyberpunks marched down a catwalk surrounded by a futuristic light display (and a line of flashing iPhones). Chunky leather biker jackets were worn over asymmetrically-panelled kilts, also created from leather that had been laser-cut and in some cases, embroidered with metal detailing. 

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Knitwear pieces were covered, armour-like, in metallic beads arranged into geometric patterns. Indeed, the leather wrapped around the hands into fingerless gloves recalled the old-fashioned boxing glove, adding to that idea of exterior protection. A selection of utilitarian jumpsuits felt a little softer, rendered in distressed fabrics and gently belted at the waist.

But it was not all tough and androgynous. Ghesquire’s romantic white blouses, with their frilled collars and billowing sleeves, evoked a pretty retro 70s mood, particularly when worn beneath a leather waistcoat. Elsewhere, the structured crop-tops worn with leather shorts are surely perfect for festival season.

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The final pieces of the collection were the most memorable. Abstract, spaceship-like patterns covered leather jumpsuits, one of which was worn beneath a psychedelically-hued jacket. The last mini-dresses had been created intelligently, covered in undulating 3D patterns and colours created from laser-cut leather. Perfect, instagrammable fodder – this is the future according to Nicolas Ghesquire.

Grace Cain