Retro glam (above: Prada, Dries Van Noten, Lanvin)
• The golden age of Hollywood plays dial-a-decade.
• John Galliano at Christian Dior revisited ’20s Orientalism and the flapper.
• Shimmer and shine from day to night.
• Thirties surrealist glamour tricks with trompe l’oeil à la Cocteau, Dali and Man Ray.
• Elsa Schiaparelli inspired Dolce & Gabbana.•Gloves used as headpieces and scarves.
• Forties austere elegance.
• Ballooning shoulder play. Joan Crawford.
• Dark and sober hues.
• Tailored jackets and coat dresses at Prada.
• Draped shift dresses topped with fur wraps at Lanvin.
• Silk, satin and brocade bring elegant ’50s opulence to a cinematic level of beauty.

The Eighties (above: Louis Vuitton, BCBG Max Azria, Stella McCartney)
• A decade of lavish excess, money and power.
• Black tights and metallic leggings.
• Studio 54 and Le Palace.
• The return of the power suit.
• Exaggerated shoulders and nipped-in waists.
• Montana and Mugler triangular silhouettes.
• Jersey tunics and body-con micro-dressing at Louis Vuitton.
• Hip-grazing fetish legging boots at Stella McCartney.
• Lots of black and shades of grey.
• Day-Glo neons pop.
• Punk brings back Anglomania.
• Sequins, leather and fur add over-the-top drama to red-lacquered lips.

Text by Anthony Mitropoulos; produced by Denis Desro

Velvet and the power suit on the next page …

Velvet (above: Prada, Balenciaga, Lanvin)
• The most coveted fabric.
• Plush and decadent.
• Retro chic meets modern sleek.
• Devore, with graphic patterns of silk chiffon and glowing velvet at Proenza Schouler.
• Floral prints at Prada and Lanvin.
• Leopard prints at Balenciaga.
• Panne versions at Burberry Prorsum.
• High lustre at Aquilano e Rimondi. Quiet luxury.
• Jewel-tone shades of ruby, amethyst, sapphire and canary.

Power suit (above: Michael Kors, MaxMara, Aquilano e Rimondi)
• Power babes stalked the runways.
• A definite must in this season’s closet.
• Architectural shapes.
• Triangular silhouettes.
• Exaggerated, sculpted shoulders with wrapped, carved and belted waists.
• The new femme: graphic and confident.
• Pleated boy-cut trousers, slim pants, pencil skirts or leggings.
• Top fabric choices: grey flannel, black-and-white tweed and camel cashmere.
• Solid or pinstriped.
• Strict and sensual.
• Next to the skin or layered over a turtleneck.
• Impeccably sharp.

Text by Anthony Mitropoulos; produced by Denis Desro

Red and perfecto on the next page …

Red (above: DKNY, Marc Jacobs, MaxMara)
• Forget doom and gloom.
• One-off pops of red bloomed in every shade.
• Schiaparelli pink at Dolce & Gabbana.
• Ruby red at Aquilano e Rimondi.
• Day-Glo pink at Marc Jacobs.
• Cherry red at DKNY.
• Blood red at Prada.
• Tomato red at MaxMara.
• Orange red at Jil Sander.
• Scarlet red at Alexander McQueen.
• Even lips got a bold boost with slashes of fire-engine red in sweet and tart varieties.
• Stop more than traffic with all this red!

Perfecto (above: Versace, Stella McCartney, Hermès)
• A key item leading this fall’s biker gang.
• Patent or distressed leather.
• Street style goes chic.
• Zippers, buckles and straps.
• Black rules, with others in midnight blue, grey and brown.
• Shrunken at Versace.
• Oversized and metallic at Stella McCartney.
• Bold collars at Hermès.
• Trench-coat styling at Yves Saint Laurent.
• Mannish androgyny, with wide-cut flannel trousers or tough-girl luxe with leggings.
• Urban, relaxed and oh so cool!

Text by Anthony Mitropoulos; produced by Denis Desro

Leggings and tweed on the next page …

Leggings (above: Stella McCartney, Diane von Furstenberg, BCBG Max Azria)
• Zoom in from the ground up.
• Legs are the new It zone.
• The ’80s staple returns.
• Razor-sharp.
• Long and lean.
• Pushes the skinny next to the skin.
• Great layering piece under a miniskirt, tunic or jacket.
• From biker tough to minimalist sleek.
• Metallic, printed, shiny or matte in stretch fabrics.
• Suede, leather and velvet patchwork.
• Bejewelled, studded numbers at Miu Miu.
• The best building block to update your look.

Tweed (above: Marni, Burberry Prorsum, Gucci)
• Totally into tweed! Rich, woven textures, masculine appeal and the cozy factor.
• Popular black-and-white combos also came in autumnal hues of ochre, brick and rust.
• Kilts and pegged boy-cut trousers at Burberry Prorsum.
• Swinging toppers in triangular shapes at Marni.
• Sculpted skirtsuits at Michael Kors.
• Constructed collages mixing tweeds at Proenza Schouler.
• Traditional country cloth goes city-smart; it’s the hippest of the heritage fabrics.

Text by Anthony Mitropoulos; produced by Denis Desro

Neo-patchwork and coats on the next page …
Neo-patchwork (above: Dries Van Noten, Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs)
• Designers played mix masters in artful collages of pattern, texture and colour.
• Bold, geometric abstraction meets patchwork styling.
• Matte and shiny fabric combinations created depth at Calvin Klein.
• Trompe l’oeil effects in opposing colours tricked at Dolce & Gabbana.
• Clashing prints duelled it out at Dries Van Noten.
• Felt wools and sporty jerseys played contrasting fabric textures at Proenza Schouler.
• Good taste flirts with bad for controlled chic.

Coat (above: Lanvin, DKNY, Burberry Prorsum)
• The must in a season full of options! Today’s emphasis is on classics.
• Low-key, belted, slouchy bathrobe versions at MaxMara.
• Day-to-day glamour in simple silhouettes.
• Often double-breasted.
• Basic colours: camel, grey and black.
• Belted cashmere trenches with full collars at Michael Kors.
• Draped and wrapped at Lanvin.
• Forties empowered sleeve styles or ’80s giant lapels.
• Enveloping cocoon cuts in double-faced wools, alpaca and camel hair.
• Investment dressing strikes a quiet balance of sobriety and luxe.

Text by Anthony Mitropoulos; produced by Denis Desro

Read more
Haider Ackermann; Fall/Winter 2009 slide show
Lanvin; Fall/Winter 2009 slide show