Stella McCartney

Staying true to form, Stella McCartney’s eponymous label was a lesson in commercial sophistication for Autumn/Winter 2010. An office wardrobe with smart day-to-evening wear in mind, McCartney’s eye for detail intertwined with structured minimalism to construct tailoring subversions. Opening with a strong blazer dress silhouette, the collection was narrated in rich grey wool suiting, inky blacks and crisp whites. A nude top was cinched by black stripes that transitioned through to A-line shift dresses; harnessed by slim-fit tailored trousers which juxtaposed the ultra-mini hemlines: the Stella McCartney trademark. Subtle details overpowered sleeveless blazer and sweater dresses, and  uncomplicated knitwear, working best in tonal explosions of raspberry pink sequins, blackcurrant silk and tangerine knitwear: simple but striking. With a hint of geometry and a lashing of rose embroidery, the collection was mature and understated – just like her clientele.

Yves Saint Laurent

At the helm of the Parisian kingpin, Stefano Pilati’s collection for Yves Saint Laurent channelled the brands heyday, namely in the form of wide leg trouser suits. An unusual direction for the designer who usually eschews references to the late Yves Saint Laurent, the impending retrospective in Paris could have been a subconscious trigger. In a monochromatic palette, the collection was paired down simplicity at its finest, incorporated into the elements of a seventies wardrobe. It’s ‘about protection’, he told Style.com after the show, when explaining the unique plastic film swathing the coats, which perhaps explained the underlying deity riff.  Alongside the trouser suits; capes and pencil skirts were joined by slashed sleeve jackets, similar to those at Christopher Kane, and the collection was accessorised with notebook clutches, oversized hats and gold chains with pendants inspired by archive illustrations.

Giambattista Valli

This season's exploration of the classic Balenciaga cocoon shape continued at Giambattista Valli, where looming financial insecurities have not been detrimental in their production of defiantly feminine day and eveningwear pieces. Executed in a nude and black palette, structured fabrics and floaty chiffons navigated sixties inspired skirt suits, structured overcoats with oversized lapels and drop waist dresses navigated by orange trim. Whilst whimsical sheer summer dresses were subjugated by black undergarments, cropped double-breasted blazers were spliced by sheer panels and textured hem borders. This was the evolution of the collection from futuristic structured silhouettes into couture evening dresses that explored texture and finish through sophisticated quilting, feather checkerboard effects, ruching, embellishing and structured draping. 

All images from Style.com.