By We saw classic design at Chanel and Valentino, whilst Paco Rabanne and McQueen added a touch of suitably bizarre contemporary style. This was a day we shall not forget.
For one fleeting moment when we saw the wind turbines lining the catwalk at Chanel, we thought that Karl Lagerfeld had brushed shoulders too many times with Vivienne Westwood and moved in a more political direction.
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But then Karl gave the press his reasoning that when he was designing the collection he was very hot. Classically whimsical and unsurprisingly nonchalant as his response went, the collection was anything but.
Having stripped away the Chanel chains and camellias, we were left with only one signature look - the pearl. Fist-sized pearls were fastened to the girls' hair and jewellery, and cascaded down the front of every outfit like a subtly iridescent waterfall. Denim was fused with more classic fabrics, and the cut of the designs were equally innovative.
Mini shift dresses and cropped swing coats added that unmistakeable Parisian flare, but the show stopping maxi dresses in floral prints nearer the end of the show were the pieces that are sure to stay lodged in our memory until the warmer season arrives.
Valentino SS13
Valentino is famous for femininity, grace and more than a touch of sexuality. Now that Valentino has handed over the reins to Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccoli, there have been doubts raised about loyalty to the essence of the brand, but this season's collection is sure to dispel any unpleasant gossip in the fashion world.
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Beautifully light and airy maxi dresses came flooding down the runway one after the other, filling our senses with heady visions of florals and stars. Peach, cream and nude were layered on top of black chiffon, creating a selection of evening looks that any woman would kill for. Even the shorter pencil varieties seemed to encapsulate that sensual Valentino essence, making this collection a true homage to the man himself.
Paco Rabanne SS13
Paco Rabanne is known for cool styles and a great use of colour. Spring/summer ‘13 is no exception. Purple, lilac, indigo and puce were all thrown together on a dark and deep backdrop of black and grey. Creative director Lydia Maurer gave us a rather gothic take on the summer season, with chainmail halter tops and multi-faceted textures in every single look. Dark make up and even darker hosiery (slashed fishnet stockings with chains sewn up the front) made this collection stand out among the more conservative Parisian fashion crowd.
The last show of the day had us buzzing with excitement. Sarah Burton showed her most sculptural and voluminous collection yet for Alexander McQueen. This show was a study of the female form, or at least, the way the female form used to be.
Alexander McQueen SS13
She brought back a womanly silhouette, corseting the models with hive like structures and emphasising the waist and hip. Tradition clashed with modern madness as Burton fused ancient, classic shapes with contemporary construction techniques and texture combinations (transparent beehive lattice trousers with a brocade jacket for example).
With two years having gone by since the unfortunate passing of Alexander McQueen, we are overjoyed to see his right hand woman living so truly in his footsteps. For Burton, the SS13 season is triumphant collection.
The final day of Paris Fashion Week is upon us. But never one to bow out quietly, we will be seeing collections from the eternally chic Elie Saab, the perennially extrovert Miu Miu and the irreplaceable Louis Vuitton brings Fashion month to a close.
