Louis Vuitton channels Mad Max, while Miu Miu subverts vintage

Nicolas Ghesquiere made a powerful statement for French luxury house Louis Vuitton with a spring/summer 2016 collection featuring monogrammed waistcoats and leather jackets, belts slung like workmen’s tool belts over shorts, puff skirts and parachute jumpsuits.

Hard utility styling (chunky shoes, leathers and drawstring bags) and pounding music evoked a Mad Max dystopia. Models had something of the gothic Lolita about them, though far more militant. Shimmering silver dresses seemed sculpted and space-age – a major highlight of a strong show.

Digital, millennial, and futuristic are words that could all be used to describe the collection. The best thing about it is seeing Ghesquiere, a wonderfully talented designer, getting confidently back into a more radical groove.

There was something distinctly Prada-esque about next spring’s Miu Miu girl, all colourful chunky fur chubbies, vintage-patterned jackets and coats, pencil skirts and gingham shirts, and striking '60s and '70s print motifs. Both lines are designed by Italian powerhouse Miuccia Prada, but her younger line Miu Miu has often been the more experimental and riotous. 

The Miu Miu muse is always offbeat and rather uncompromising - think separates and quirky accessories like this season's raccoon tails that hung from belts and bags. Sheer puff-sleeve nightdresses were thrown over long-sleeved sweaters – awkwardly and purposefully unsexy yet rather directional.  Romantic puff sleeves were a big deal on catwalks this year, and Miu Miu went bold here.

We’re not fans of the baggy silhouette, but her colourful snakeskin shoes and bondage ballet flats are so fabulous that they're destined to be fashion crowd favourites come spring.