Spring-summer 2016 for Giambattista Valli is about 1960s silhouettes, with patterns adding a touch of 1970s groove.
Valli on Monday unveiled a new youthful vibe in Paris starring delicate babydoll dresses, sleek A-line miniskirts and the organza gowns that have turned the Rome-born designer into the darling of young European socialites. Presenting his main ready-to-wear line, Valli went straight back to the 1960s, a decade that has been ubiquitous in Paris ever since Nicolas Ghesquière embraced it for his much-anticipated debut at Louis Vuitton last year.
Babydolls - a silhouette debuted last season also at his Giamba line - were the stars of the collection, alongside A-line miniskirts topped by floral blouses, or sleeveless tops, and sleek little coats with round collars.
Pantsuits and snazzy duster coats had 1970s patterning with Valli's staple florals also featuring as a recurrent theme of the collection.
Hip gladiator sandals climbing the length of the leg just below the knee balanced the retro feel, helping convey youth and grace into the creative mix.
Dreamy organza gowns were red-carpet proof, including the stunning Empire-line dress with a flowing yellow skirt and a floral top with plunging neckline that closed the show.
Elsewhere in Paris, Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski, in her second season as Hermes' creative director, threw a touch of the utility element into the house's unique brand of luxury with trainers, pleated leather skirts and a new trouser shape featuring a wide, cropped silhouette.
Sleek designs in black and white and a check motif opened the show with comfortable silhouettes including the new "banana trousers" and A-line skirts. The utility vibe was also visible in silhouettes including a calfskin trench coat and leather dresses and skirts.
Indeed leather and suede amped up the trademark Hermes luxury factor as the show progressed, ending with the glossiest of white staples - short and long sleeveless dresses and a stunning duster coat.
And while sneakers made an unexpected debut on the Hermes runway, another type of footwear that has increased its appeal factor in fashion circles but is usually seen in muddier locations stepped on the Saint Laurent catwalk - rubber boots.
Here, Hedi Slimane, the man who has rocked the storied house ever since his appointment as creative director three years ago, coupled the iconic Saint Laurent tuxedo with rubber rain boots.
At times embroidered with flowers or crystals, such boots were the only footwear to step on the catwalk, along with thin-strapped heels.
Far from being a means of fashion provocation - a mood long embraced by Slimane - they helped convey the 1990s grunge feel of the collection.
The slip dress, a staple of the decade, starred on the catwalk - over leather undies.
Also part of the mix were oversized knit sweaters, short disco dresses, and mini skirts.
And along with the sheer dresses - including a sexy split-leg gown, minis and revealing tops - Slimane unveiled new silhouettes based on menswear tailoring.
The gender-blurring menswear-meets-womenswear phenomenon embraced by so many top designers over the past few seasons was evident in the oversized blazers and jackets.
After debuting tight suits and tiny bombers for seasons, the generous proportions of leather jackets, tuxedos and stone-washed jean jackets offered a new take on the Saint Laurent woman - though balanced by the sheer grungy dresses.
Masculine met feminine at Alexander McQueen as well, where Sarah Burton channelled the brand's iconic fierceness in a new direction.
An undercurrent of the brand's trademark fetishism was still palpable with references including criss-cross chains and chainmail vertical-stripe dresses.
But it was toned down by an ultra-romantic vision of femininity with Indian-mirrored frock coats, floral prints and Victoriana silhouettes with corseted bodices.
There were also 19th-century British military tailcoats, leather jackets with floral motifs, along with fluttery silk and cotton dresses.
Fabrics looked aged, from frayed silk dresses to jeans with shredded cuffs, conveying the nostalgia and charm of heirloom pieces passed through generations of women.
And after the tight Victorian duster coats and the empire-style dresses, the closing look put the final seal on the new McQueen woman for spring - a ruffled soft pink dress with spaghetti straps and delicate buttons sneaking their way up the hips and the sheer top.
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