We're in the final leg of our international fashion show tour: bienvenue à Paris! Day one kicked off with Pierre Cardin's return to the catwalk, Gareth Pugh's fashion film and Dries Van Noten's homage to the white shirt. Here are the highlights...
L-R: Dries Van Noten, Pierre Cardin, Rochas (all PA) and Franck Sorbier (AP)
Family tree: Yohji Yamamoto's daughter Limi Feu used her signature black and white palette to showcase a polished collection inspired that holy alliance, marriage. Her vision - complete with Doc Martens, frizzy coiffures and bowler hats - seemed more subversive than sweet, but the voluminous dress shapes and asymmetrical styles in distressed cottons will surely keep all eyes on the bride.
Intergalactic planetary: 88-year-old Pierre Cardin returned to the catwalk for his 60th anniversary show after a decade off the runways. The man who took fashion into outer space in the '60s once again embraced space age styles like his'n'hers astronaut suits in hot pink and metallic silver, UFO bubble hats, neon mini dresses and colourful macs.
Orange alert: At Damir Doma, models were given raccoon eyes with neon orange shadow to match the bold marigold and orange separates he sent out on the catwalk. Colour coordination for risk-takers?
Fashion on film: Gareth Pugh, never one to play by the rules, eschewed a catwalk show in favour of a film showcasing his s/s 2011 collection starring silver-haired siren Kristen McMenamy, who walked, danced and stomped around in Pugh's new looks, which featured lots of fabulously tailored jackets and molded dresses.
Scandi style: Marco Zanini took inspiration from his half-Swedish background for Rochas' s/s 2011 collection and references to the country were realised on everything from folksy prints on dresses (courtesy of Swedish artist Slotts Barbro) to knee socks and dirndl skirts. Silk slip dresses and floral pajama sets for spring? Yes, please.
Best in show: As far as we're concerned, you can never go wrong with adorable doggies on the catwalk, and Franck Sorbier paired his dramatic frocks with the sweetest pups. A Chow Chow, British bulldog and Shar Pei were among the breeds strolling down the catwalk - if only they came with the outfits!
Playing with dress codes: Dries Van Noten's muse for spring is the "handsome woman" - think casual glamour and a play on masculine tailoring by way of late Belgian artist Jef Verhayen's paintings and Chinese ceramics. The result was a collection of "real clothes" that will be coveted by women come springtime (the boyfriend jackets, the ombré trenches, the wide trousers). The centrepiece of the collection was the man's white shirt, which turned up as an oversized top, reworked as a skirt and on dresses with a sheer overlay.