Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton at Paris fashion week

Camp, as envisaged by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton Photograph: Eric Ryan/Getty Images

The collection was inspired by Donna Summer, seventies disco, chinoiserie and tiger stripes Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

A black marble effect catwalk, stuffed tigers and tasselled disco curtains set the scene Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

It was as abrupt a departure from last season's ultra-tasteful Bardot-meets-Mad Men look as it is possible to get Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

Fringed crystal flapper dresses, lurex knitted jersey dresses, pantsuits in yellow, rust and purple colour blocks were set off with wide sequinned cummerbunds Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

A white trouser suit worthy of a Studio 54-era Bianca Jagger had an giraffe printed on its back Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

Tassels, shimmer, billowing decadent sleeves and animal motifs fought for attention, sometimes on the same outfit Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA

Jacobs quoted US writer Susan Sontag in his show notes to explain how this off-taste would marry with luxury clothing only the wealthy can afford Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

'Camp taste is by its nature possible in affluent societies, in societies capable of experiencing the psychopathology of affluence,' she wrote in a 1964 essay Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

It is an interesting theory but is it likely to convince those who don't want to spend a fortune on a sequinned panda top? Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP

Taste aside, business at Louis Vuitton is booming Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

LVMH, which owns the label, reported a 53% rise in first-half profits this year Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

A 13th workshop is being built in southern France to cope with the global frenzy for the label's bags Photograph: Eric Ryan/Getty Images

Expansion in China is fuelling this demand - which could explain the Chinese influence Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA

Models carried black lace fans wearing Chinese-inspired pink glittery jackets Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA

Purple silk Chinese pyjamas had mandarin collars and black tassels Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images

'It's just camp. To take something from nature and to make it into stylish clothes: that's total camp,' said Marc Jacobs after the show
Photograph: Dominique Charriau/WireImage

The designer carried on camping backstage
Photograph: Eric Ryan/Getty Images