Still, ruminations on the body, sensuality and, frankly, getting physical, have proved a particularly potent inspiration this season. But rather than being anything obvious or exclusionary, the best thing about seeing so many designers explore notions of sexiness has been the proof that there is no one way to do it – there’s a lid for every pot, as my grandmother used to say.

At Prada, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons explored concepts of sensuality by stripping back traditional modes of femininity such as brassieres and corsetry. For Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello was typically high-octane sexy, while at New York label Eckhaus Latta, sexiness was a celebration of bodies and all the different varieties of them.

“It’s about feeling more free,” Zoe Latta, one half of the design duo behind the brand, told Vogue after the show. “Really feeling yourself, coming out of the past year-and-a-half and wanting to feel sexy and confident and free.”

Touch, freedom, fun – all things that have been in short supply these past 18 months. Of course we want to let our (sweaty!) hair down and make the most of what we have.

Celebrating the body, and flaunting it too, is something for which Albanian-born and London-based designer Nensi Dojaka has carved out a cult following with her cleverly constructed, slinky and sophisticated black dresses.

As she said when awarded the LVMH Prize: “I love female bodies, collarbones, the back. That’s why I do it. I had a dress that was selling a lot, everywhere – the little black dress that everyone had. Because we’re going out again.”

This year, Zhou shared the Karl Lagerfeld prize, which is awarded alongside the LVMH Prize, with Colm Dillane of New York’s KidSuper and Lukhanyo Mdingi. She finds beauty in sometimes unexpected places.

“I didn’t start our brand based on a focus of sexiness, so I never struggle or try to create sexy pieces,” she says. “The current cut-out design lives on as classic and signature, it also expresses that we all can find beauty in the imperfection, the unfinished, broken or even unloved.

“One of my customers told us she almost burst into tears when she put on our tank top, because she suddenly realised ‘beauty has always been there inside her own body’. We hope all our customers can understand the core values of the brand, that is inclusivity and the duality of beauty and imperfection.”

Sensuality, and how that plays differently for all, is something that Australian fashion designer Dion Lee, known for his laser-sharp tailoring, signature clean-line silhouettes and corsetry, explores too.

“My brand has always celebrated strength in individuality, and an intelligent sensuality delivered through exploring construction, textile manipulation and subversive details in the brand language,” he says. “From the start of the creative process, I’m designing from that guiding principle rather than a separation of gender.”

Liane Wiggins, head of womenswear buying at luxury online retailer Matches Fashion, says there is new-found power in this celebration of form, and not just one version of it – something she says feels right for now.

“Historically, there has always been a trend for embracing fashion following times of uncertainty,” she says. “It has been exciting to see a celebration of femininity and a move towards a modern interpretation of power dressing.

“Our customers are definitely ready to celebrate the return to socialising and going out again. We are seeing a real uplift in these styles that are closer to the body, fitted and more [sexy] dresses that celebrate the female form.”

“Designers know we are ready to have fun and dress up again, whilst feeling feminine and confident, and they’re channelling this in a multitude of ways, from cut-out body-con dresses by the likes of Khaite and Maximilian to strappy asymmetric dresses from Christopher Esber and Dion Lee,” she says.

“We have also noticed shorter hemlines making a comeback via min skirts with matching jackets seen at Bottega Veneta, as well as mini skirts paired with sheer black tights at Saint Laurent – it’s a fun and surprisingly sexy take on how to style the mini.”

If you’re hesitant to try the trend, Kate Benson, head of buying at The Outnet, says perhaps the most important thing is clocking how you feel in a “sexy” look – whatever that means to you.

“It’s important to feel comfortable in your own skin and embrace a trend how you feel best,” she says.

“Whether that’s wearing a miniskirt, body-con dress or super tight catsuit, you have to feel great in a piece to enjoy the look. This season’s trend has a real dressing-up-box feel to it; think Cabaret – feathers, faux fur, sequins and fringing. Have fun, make it theatrical as well as sexy!”

Often the best part of a night out is the fun in getting dressed up for it and the promise it all holds. Any romance novelist could tell you that the sexiest thing of all is anticipation – and haven’t we all learned the power of that?