Spring-summer 2009: wet, wild and very wow

A storm of colours and textures swept across Paris catwalks - with lacing and '20s-inspired designs very in vogue.

In the dark it's often hard to judge what's what. Objects appear stranger, and what might otherwise be little illusions of light seem mesmerisingly exaggerated. And so it was at the Loewe presentation last night in the retro 9th district of Paris.

The show was hosted at the venue which also presented the first black-American dancer star in Europe, Josephine Baker, back in the 1920s. Perhaps that's why it seems appropriate that Loewe should hold a 29 black-manniquin-strong stand at this year's offering.

With each manniquin clad with bold and outlandish outfits it proved to be a truly revolutionary performance, enough to mesmerise an array of eager Japanese fashionistas, quaint Spanish royalty and wide-eyed fashion journalists.

There were black and white feathers mixed in with soft ruffles on a tiny but elegant LBD, one-shoulder dresses with more frills but this time a little edgier with bold bolts - the type you would see on a ship.

And following the nautical theme, Loewe's spring-summer 2009 collection played heavily on naval uniforms. Imagine a captain's outfit - caps, stripes and all - remixed and re-vamped to give any woman the perfect gear for her daily habituals.

The look was brash, bold and beautiful. The inspiration for this cool collection came from Paloma Picasso's spirit and style - both now and back in the 80s. It just goes to show, fashion - sorry, I mean style - really is timeless. The accessories will come and go but truly sophiscated class lasts throughout the decades.

That's not to say the accessories were forgettable at the Loewe presentation. On the contrary, Loewe's funky, chunky, gold and sequin-adorned bags, bracelets and shoes will rock Dubai and take fashionistas by storm. Weather forecast for spring-summer 2009 in the Middle East: wet, wild and very wow.

Sophia Kokosalaki

Italian entrepreneur Renzo Rosso has a habit of defying expectations. The Diesel chief was in high spirits after watching the display of his protege Sophia Kokosalaki, dismissing warnings from retailers that emerging designers would be the first to suffer from the economic downturn.

"I am always brave, I want to do something fresh and modern," Rosso told reporters. "For me, it's how I have always done things." In recent years, Rosso has expanded his portfolio of fledgling brands through his holding company, aptly named Only the Brave. In addition to Kokosalaki and French designer Martin Margiela, he recently bought a majority stake in the Dutch label Viktor & Rolf.

While Kokosalaki is critically acclaimed, she has yet to become a household name - and not only because most people can't pronounce her surname.
This season, the Greek designer drew inspiration from ancient civilizations ranging from Egypt to Mesopotamia.

She dipped into a treasure trove of beads and bugles to produce a stunning black tunic encrusted with gold embroidery, or a silver python bustier with a snake-shaped strap curling over one shoulder.

The wealth of terrific accessories was a sure sign that her label is expanding. Lacy black suede platform sandals with a sculpted silver heel confirmed that shoes have replaced handbags as the must-have items of the season.

Rosso said that while he was happy to foster young talent, he planned to take a break from snapping up new brands. "I have enough," he said.

Marithé and Francois Girbaud

Unimpressed by the ubiquitous posters advertising brag bags, French design duo Marithé and Francois Girbaud set out to show that clothes can be as surprising and fun as expensive accessories.

Their breezy back-to-college collection dressed up faded denim jeans and inky blue cotton pants with go-faster stripes, decorative zips, chains and pocket flaps, but above all lacing. The legs of trousers were laced at the sides, or more daringly up the middle of the behind in bright red.