HAUTE COUTURE

When it comes to Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, "more is more" usually is the go-to aesthetic. Here is looking at the best attires and ateliers from another evening in Parisian fashion history.

GIORGIO ARMANI

Armani was all about the crystal which embellished everything from see-through netted tops to voluminous tiered skirts, structured tweed jackets and elegant evening shoes. The designer explained that he wanted to create "the impression of a clear water surface reflecting a ray of moonlight or sunlight". There were references to the late '80s too – both in the form of folky peasant frocks and power dressing of the decade.

AZZARO COUTURE

Channelling the ’70s/beginning of the ’80s repertoire was rolled out in a rather by-the-book version: sleek pantsuits with bell-bottom pants drenched in sequins, airy chiffon mini-dresses weighed down by undulating fringes, sensual pajama ensembles with palazzo pants and square-cut blouses covered in technicolour paillettes. It was glitzy, ritzy, and sparkly, a feast of Swarovski crystals lavishly affixed to every possible surface. A slender see-through number was embroidered with sequins and fringed with feathers. It looked young and spectacular, tinged with disco glamour and effortless charm.

RALPH & RUSSO

Making the most of the Paris sunshine, Ralph & Russo presented its couture Fall/Winter 2019 collection in the grounds of the Embassy of the United Kingdom, where it showcased 1930s, Art Deco-inspired creations. There were evening gowns draped across the body with just a single string of pearls, influenced by French-Russian artist, Erté and his sculpture work, Les Bijoux de Perle. This sat alongside bright, colourful ballgowns, structured black cocktail dresses, intricately detailed suiting and the most show-stopping of couture wedding dresses.

GIVENCHY

The brand’s Noblesse Radicale collection (which translates to 'radical nobility'), kept a very modern spin on regal clothing. There were glorious feather-embellished gowns, a structured satin dress with a striking cape, sharp oversized blazers paired with voluminous, embellished dresses and the most exquisite footwear in the form of clear, pointed pumps and others that were completely covered in feathers. The collection felt like a bold move for the designer, who has now spent two years at the helm of the French fashion house, and is clearly ready to take some risks, but it was still in-keeping with the laidback elegance that her Givenchy has become synonymous with.

CHANEL

There was a mixture of textures, colours and prints throughout the collection, with a clear spin on classic Chanel styles. Viard nodded to Karl Lagerfeld's love of tweeds and classic shapes, but reimagined them with tulle details and floral appliques. There were prim and proper touches too, befitting of the library theme, including elegant spectacles, high-necked Edwardian ruffles and bow-embellished Victorian pumps.

CHRISTIAN DIOR

This season, Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with the feminist artist, Penny Slinger, for the scenography and the last look, which was a golden version of the maison. The Fall/Winter 2019 couture show took place in Dior’s Paris headquarters, 30 Avenue Montaigne, where models walked through rose arches into the space, which had a dark, a slight ominous feel, having been transformed by Slinger into a forest with a huge, twisted tree growing up its famous staircase.