Que Sera Sera at Paris in the Spring

The last major show of the season is Paris Fashion Week, which is often regarded as the pinnacle of any designers’ career. And whilst it is normally the clothes that are the talk of the show, the autumn winter 2012 collections will also be remembered for the stagecraft and spectacle, including Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton's train down on the catwalk at the Louvre representing the glamour of a by-gone era of travel and Alber Elbaz of Lanvin taking centre stage and singing Que Sera Sera and It Was Just One of Those Things giving fashionista’s nervous goose bumps as rumours spread it could have been Elbaz’s last show for Lanvin.

Photo: Francois Guillot/AFP/Getty Images; The Guardian Online

The Lanvin collection was widely seen as a greatest hits collection, including hourglass skirts and frill-entwined evening dresses, proving yet again that Elbaz is masterful at emphasising everything a woman wants to - and nothing she doesn't.  As we have seen in London and Milan, creating shape and emphasising a woman’s curves were a key trend at Lanvin, but also at Hermes, Givenchy and YSL.

In the That-Dress collection we point you towards Ophelia is Lost and Narciss.

Leather played a huge part in Paris Fashion Week. Jackets and coats yes, but also dresses, skirts and trouser suits came via the largely outdoor and equestrian themed collections of Loewe, Hermes, and Givenchy. Leathers were in black, browns, and detail panels as well as double-leather

In the That-Dress collection look towards Sara Berman.

The predominate colour of Paris was purple, in all its forms, mauve, violet, plum, aubergine and amethyst. Chanel, Dior and Balenciaga all showed a purple palette, across a range of styles from printed dresses, fifties skirts and red carpet styling.

But possibly the most delicious trend emerging from Paris was opulence. From Faberge eggs, the archives of the V&A Museum and the classical prints of Japanese and Chinese silks, a modern spin was added by Balmain, Carven and Dries Van Norton to create rich and prints, fabrics and silks. Dresses, bodices, trousers and panels on coats were treated to the luxury and caught gasps of approval as they swished along the catwalks.

Photograph: Francois Guillot/AFP; The Guardian Online