Fashion is very often pure escapism – but today, that couldn't be further from the truth. For proof, look no further than the catwalk decors that provide a backdrop for designers' latest ready-to-wear collections. Next winter's offerings were largely a realisation of the most unsettling contemporary fears: Kenzo's show (pictured) took place in quarantine, while Japanese designer Mame Kurogouchi set up camp at Paris's Faculty of Pharmacy and the Balenciaga show was submerged by rising sea levels.
Meanwhile, at Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello rages as ever against what he sees as creeping puritanism. Looks straight out of a 1980s bourgeois cocktail party are infused with subversive elements.
American designer Thom Browne is doing what he does best: giving the classic suit a very modern twist. "It has to be optimistic," he tells us.
And Christelle Kocher offers up a Koché collection that's both sporty and inclusive.
