Strictly Ballroom was Dries van Noten's inspiration for A/W 2013. The designer still references the play on masculine-feminine with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as the icons. The masculine touch came as exquisite tailoring in grey hues softened by details; floral embroidery, embellished crystal and paste diamond detailing, and metallic brocades. The feminine looks referenced Ginger Rogers's glamour and film noir, from ostrich-feather-edged tops and plumes of feathers added a full skirt to a dress in pops of cerise pink and canary yellow. This collection was Dries at his best Photograph: Michel Dufour/French Select
Cher sat front row and sent the fashion audience into Twitter overdrive at Gareth Pugh. This was a perfect start to the British designer's Paris show. There was a touch of romanticism in Pugh's film-noir colour palette of black, white, grey and navy blue, set in a misty atmosphere at the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild. Pure-white floor-sweeping dresses opened the show, some edged in branches of gold embroidery, followed by couture-like dresses in grey and navy blue through to black. But it was the finale that took your breath away: structured creations of compact ruffle-like textured dresses made from dustbin bags purchased from Pugh's local Dalston pound shop. Only the British… Photograph: CATWALKING.COM/CATWALKING.COM
Carven, one of the hottest labels in Paris, chose a colour palette of powder pink, blue and off white as its signature colours. Guillaume Henry's designs included tube dresses in washed silk that skimmed the body and then wrapped it in the most desirable textured belted tweed and boiled-wool coats. Favourite looks were a coat in lightweight candyfloss-like mohair, a heavy rubber jacquard dress, and the animal silkscreen prints. The cute velvet bags added a nice finishing touch Photograph: PR
Alexander Wang's debut collection for the French house delved into the archives of Cristobal Balenciaga, referencing signature elements. First, he used black as the predominant colour, broken only by a splash of a white shirt or textural knitwear. The sack back was reworked into coats and jackets, and the curved form appeared on shoulders and as a seam detail. Not a bad start for a collection that was only two months in the making... Photograph: Balenciaga
Alber Elbaz's show for Lanvin had an upbeat mood. The make-up appeared to be tailor made for each model, with porcelain skin, blood-red matt lips and simple pulled-back hair which gave the models a carefree attitude. Godet detailing on skirts and dresses kicked out as the models stormed down the runway in flat brogues and layers of gold chain necklaces that showed a tougher feminine side to Lanvin. Standout looks were the floral applique on blouses and trousers, and the winged insects appliqued on to the shoulders and busts of tops, looking like they had just landed Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe
The strongest trend to emerge from Milan was the skirt-and-jumper combo – and this trend was reconfirmed in Paris. At Rochas, creative director Marco Zanini opened with a powder-blue skirt and coffee-colour knit. The colour palette played with muted tones in browns and greys, brought to life when worn with a pretty pastel pink, apricot, canary yellow or power blue. Rochas also featured lean silhouettes: a pencil skirt and a heavy knit, a skirt dress, cropped cigarette pants and a manish blazer followed exaggerated voluminous circular skirts, elongated coats with a cocoon back detail. Dresses shown in soft silk were double faced to achieve structure Photograph: PHOTO © 2013 PETER STIGTER/PR
The Brits love a party, and high street label H&M headed to the grounds of the Musee Rodin in Paris for their debut catwalk show and after-show party. Shown in the purpose-built tent where, in the past, YSL and Dior have shown, the space was transformed and decorated to look like a luxury Paris apartment from the 1970s. The collection showed knitwear worn simply, open-back sequin dresses with fringed detailing and masculine tailoring to an audience of international fashion editors and celebrities – among them Ashley Olsen, Chloe Moretz and Emma Roberts. The collection will be available from the 5 September Photograph: PR
Brim-hatted models in Demeulemeester's signature monochrome hues walked softly past the faded painted walls in the space at Place Vendome. Demeulemeester's show had a rustic feel – a peasant wandering down a country road leading a horse and cart. A deconstructed jacket was reconstructed into trailing panels, while oversized smocks with balloon sleeves were layered over wide-leg trousers and cinched by a broad leather belt. There was the usual play on layering long and short, and one standout look carried on from the menswear show: a floor-length maxi jumper dress, simple but perfect... Photograph: PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP
