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Coinciding with the pop star Taylor Swift, designer Sarah Burton embarked on her Showgirl period. During her second presentation as Givenchy designer, Burton amplified the drama with collars dripping rhinestones over collarbones, luscious peach maribou feathers, a compact and striking evening dress in vibrant red leather, and supermodel Naomi Campbell in a tuxedo jacket worn open over a barely-there lace trim bra.

Forging a Unique Path

Burton's tenure at Givenchy under a year, but the longtime associate of Alexander McQueen has already established a distinctive character for the house and for herself. The Givenchy label, the legendary domain of Audrey Hepburn and the timeless black dress, has an immaculate bloodline of glamour that extends from the French capital to Tinseltown, but it is a smaller player as a business. Her recent predecessors had largely embraced urban fashion and functional metal embellishments, but Burton is bringing back the sophistication.

"I wanted it to be erotic and sensual and to reveal the body," Burton said after the show. "When we want to empower women, we often adopt male-inspired styles, but I wanted to examine feminine sensibility, and the process of adorning and revealing."

Subtle seduction was evident, too, in a formal shirt in supple white leather. "Every woman is different," Burton stated. "At times when selecting models, a model dons a look and it becomes clear that she prefers not to wear heels. Thus, I modify the ensemble."

Return to Glamorous Events

Givenchy is rebuilding its presence in high-profile occasion wear. Burton has dressed actor Timothée Chalamet in a pale yellow formal suit at the Academy Awards, and model Kaia Gerber in a classic ballerina-style gown of ebony lace at the Venice Film Festival.

Schiaparelli’s Surreal Resurgence

Schiaparelli, the surrealist fashion label, has been experiencing a revival under designer Daniel Roseberry from America. In the coming year, the Victoria and Albert Museum will host the inaugural UK Schiaparelli showcase, examining the work of designer Elsa Schiaparelli and the house she founded.

"You don’t buy Schiaparelli, you collect pieces from Schiaparelli," Roseberry declared after the show.

Those who don Schiaparelli don’t need an exhibition to tell them that these designs are masterpieces. Connection with the art world is positive for revenue – garments carry art gallery price tags, with blazers beginning around £5,000. And revenue, as well as profile, is on the up. The setting for the event was the Pompidou Center in Paris, a further indication of how intimately this brand is linked to art.

Returning to Historic Partnerships

Roseberry recalled one of the most renowned partnerships of Elsa with artist Salvador Dalí, the 1938 “Tears” dress which will be in the V&A show. "This centered around returning to the origins of the fashion house," he said.

The torn effects in the original were artistically applied, but for the modern iteration Roseberry shredded the silk fabric itself. In both, the shreds are hauntingly reminiscent of flayed flesh.

Eerie Details and Playful Threat

A hint of danger exists at Schiaparelli – Elsa referred to her mannequins, with their angular shoulders and cinched waists, as her toy soldiers – as well as a gleeful delight in a joke. Fingernail-inspired fasteners and gold noses dangling as earrings are the distinctive language of the brand. The punchline of this show: synthetic fur created using brushes.

Surrealism pops up throughout contemporary fashion. Eggshell-inspired heels – walking on eggshells, understand? – were extremely popular at Loewe. Dalí-inspired melting clocks have appeared on stage at the Moschino label. But Schiaparelli leads in this area, and Roseberry commands it.

"Garments from Schiaparelli possess a heightened theatricality which captivates everyone present," he said. A crimson dress was adorned with a geometric insert of skin-colored netting that was positioned approximately where a pair of knickers should, in a head-swivelling illusion of nakedness. The tension between wearability and theatre is integral to the presentation.

American Creatives in the French Capital

A carousel of creative director launches has brought two darlings of New York to Paris. The duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez have left behind their Proenza Schouler label they founded in 2002 to helm Loewe, the Spain-based leather label that grew into a $1.5 billion powerhouse under the leadership of Jonathan Anderson before he moved to Dior.

The US designers appeared thrilled to be in Paris, France. Vibrant Ellsworth Kelly hues brought a cheerful pop art vibe to the cultured artistic knowledge for which Loewe is currently known. Bright yellow loafers shook their tassels like Josephine Baker’s skirt; a red peplum jacket had the bold reflective shapes of a condiment vessel. And an evening dress disguised as a fresh-from-the-bath towel, soft like a clean towel, achieved the ideal blend where clever design meets fashion fun.