Has Hillary Clinton started a trend? Chanel, Louis Vuitton and others discover the joy of wearing pantsuits

Pantsuits for women have come a long way from being just practical wear to ride horses. You’d think the power suit’s allegorical associations of being “masculine” would have died down in the ensuing half-century, but the pantsuit was a focus – and ongoing joke – in Hillary Clinton’s political career, framing her as a “sensible” presidential candidate, but also undermining her femininity.

Is it a twist of fate – or just liberating – that, in 2019, the brightly-coloured pantsuits that were once an object of derision associated with the former first lady are now a bona fide runway trend? This season, a rainbow of suits dominated, bringing a sunny dose of fun to an outfit once considered drab and stuffy, and its use is now evolving into a wardrobe staple even for the weekend.

Emporio Armani’s fire-engine red rendition – a waist-length, double-breasted jacket with loose, matching shorts – might even look a little risqué for the office, but it is perfectly on point for a night on the town with heels, or for Sunday brunch with tennis shoes.

For a more classic take on the suit, we loved Chanel’s prim-and-proper tweed number, hailing from Karl Lagerfeld’s final collection for the brand. Covered from neck to knee, this was a Jackie O-appropriate choice, though there were a few others that were more boundary-pushing, notably in turquoise check with an upper half more inspired by motorcycle jackets than office blazers.

While bright suits were already on the agenda last season, it was the luxe fabrications that made them truly stand out for autumn. As a counterpoint to Chanel’s puritanical tweed, Ferragamo gave us leather; stand-outs included the coordinated combo of a midi pencil skirt slit to there with a bomber-style jacket in maroon.