The simple art of being Agnes b.

THE invitation read a Fashion Presentation, so of course we expected a huge runway show complete with cheap white wine, stadium lights and thumping techno soundtrack.

But when Agnes de Fleurieu brought her Agnes b. collection to Hong Kong for the first time (she's finally opening a boutique here in March) she did it with the quiet charm and no-nonsense understatement that has been the hallmark of her clothing since 1975.

The ex-fashion editor and stylist created her line on the basis that everyone likes to wear simple, well-made clothes that are at once modern and yet classic enough to hang on to for awhile. She was right.

Her clothes are an irresistible mix of Brigitte Bardot and Gigi, a well-to-do Parisian schoolgirl quivering on the brink of womanhood. She's the Marks & Spencer of the Fashion Army and everyone from Madonna to Princess Caroline of Monaco has something bearing her label in their wardrobes.

In a brightly-lit room with plain white walls, models posed, walked, and were generally relaxed as every fashion editor in town preened over each rack of samples, wildly taking notes and exchanging meaningful fashion moments over lurex twinsets and cotton poplin trenchcoats.

For her 1995 Spring/Summer collection, Agnes b. had a colourful mix of candy brights in mostly shrunken silhouettes. An apple-green cotton poplin peacoat topped her famous two-pocket cigarette jeans in bright fuchsia.

Sunshine-yellow clamdiggers and pleated miniskirts were paired with acid-orange cotton bustiers and smart little short-sleeved blouses.