Perhaps taking their cue from this belated focus on the environment, some designers felt the need to become part of the conversation or just celebrate nature in all shapes and forms, from Dior’s chic gardener vibe to Loewe’s lovely prairie dresses.

The onus to address the climate crisis, however, does not just fall on designers. The sustainability of fashion weeks, which bring editors, buyers, celebrities and hangers-on to New York, London, Milan, Paris and beyond several times a year, has come into question. In London, Extinction Rebellion, a group that aims to compel governments to take action on climate change, called for a boycott of fashion week, highlighting its wasteful nature.

As someone who has attended the shows for a decade, I do value the importance of taking in what global and independent brands have to offer every season, but I am cognisant of the impact that all this travel has on the environment. Being based in Asia certainly does not help reduce my carbon footprint.

Having said that, there are little things that show-goers can do to reduce their impact. For starters, ditch your chauffeured cars and start taking the Metro.

To the shock of fellow editors, I’ve been taking public transport or walking to events in Paris, Milan and New York since my first season as a lowly fashion assistant.

This week in Paris, I could not help noticing the gas-guzzling SUVs that the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode provided to some guests to get around the jam-packed city.

So walk, take the Metro, carry your own water bottle and limit your travel to one or two cities every season, without falling prey to the fear of missing out so typical of the industry.

In the age of social media and live streaming, do we really need to be at every fashion show, especially given the declining relevance of fashion reviews and of the old model of showing new clothes every six months?

Some highlights from Paris

Marine Serre has made upcycling a key element of her brand since her debut two years ago and delivered a dystopian collection that riffed on her signature crescent moon pattern and had a commercial savvy that is rare in young designers these days.

Saint Laurent, which delivered a gorgeous line-up of evening tuxedos and heavily embellished frocks, made a point of emphasising that the energy used for the many spotlights at its show across from the Eiffel Tower came from generators powered by biofuels.

Rick Owens’ goddess-inspired headpieces and shamanistic garments were presented among clouds of floating soap bubbles in the open-air courtyard of the Palais de Tokyo, while Belgian designer Dries Van Noten teamed up with legendary couturier Christian Lacroix for a slightly kitsch and over-the-top collection.

Balenciaga’s mesmerising show was a departure from the brand’s streetwear vibe, ending in a series of ball gowns that had the audience in rapture, while Valentino’s neon and white looks will be on countless magazine covers next year.

Just like Valentino, Alexander McQueen is a catwalk darling, never failing to please its audience with its romantic yet slightly dark collections. As the brand embarks on a global growth strategy, it will be interesting to see if it can begin to rival fellow Kering labels Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga in its scope and ambitions.

If there’s a brand that has pioneered sustainability before it became the topic du jour, it’s Stella McCartney, which recently received an investment from LVMH. The designer, who showed a line-up of breezy dresses and fun separates, listed a series of “sustainable solutions” in the show notes placed on each seat.

Chanel paid homage to Paris with a lovely bon chic bon genre range that is likely to do well at retail but wasn’t as memorable as the collections conjured up by late designer Karl Lagerfeld when he helmed the brand. The show, however, became the talk of the town when a tweed-clad French comedian crashed the catwalk and was escorted away by model Gigi Hadid and security.

Louis Vuitton’s collection, on the contrary, was far from wearable but, love it or hate it, creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere’s work never fails to provoke strong reactions, which is quite a feat in this age of bland sameness. This season’s androgynous tailoring, mishmash of tropical prints and lurex knits may not be for everyone but they’re true designer clothes with a strong point of view.