Chloé transformed into modern master of femininity

Chloé's creative director, Clare Waight Keller, had a clear vision for the French fashion house. "I really wanted to break away from the very vintage spirit it had. It felt it needed something fresh and modern to be brought forward, in terms of silhouette and attitude," she says.

Looking chic in a crisp white shirt and slim-fit cropped trousers, Keller is in Hong Kong on a fleeting Asian tour.

The English designer, who worked for Calvin Klein in New York, Gucci in Milan, and headed up Pringle of Scotland before landing the top role at Chloé, has been credited with bringing a blast of modernity to the Parisian house.

"For me, trying to capture what women want to wear today is very important - keeping it real, but at the same time putting a new vision forward."

Before Keller joined the brand four seasons ago, many had forgotten just how pioneering Chloé was. Founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, an Egyptian émigré to France, the brand transformed women's fashion by coining the term "prêt-à-porter". Aghion, who was friends with artists such as Pablo Picasso, was the first to do ready-to-wear in an industry dominated by couture.