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Coinciding with Taylor Swift, designer Sarah Burton embarked on her Showgirl period. During her second presentation as Givenchy designer, Burton turned up the volume with collars adorned with sparkling rhinestones across the collarbone area, luscious peach maribou feathers, a sleek and short cocktail dress in vibrant red leather, and supermodel Naomi Campbell in a tailored tuxedo blazer left open over a scant lace-trimmed bra.

Establishing a Fresh Direction

Burton has been at Givenchy less than a year, but the former key collaborator at McQueen has swiftly crafted a distinctive character for the house and for herself. Givenchy, the iconic residence of Audrey Hepburn and the classic LBD, has an immaculate bloodline of elegance that extends from the French capital to Tinseltown, but it is a smaller player as a business. Earlier creative directors had largely embraced urban fashion and practical metallic details, but Burton is bringing back the glamour.

"The goal was to create something seductive and intimate and to expose flesh," Burton explained backstage. "In efforts to empower women, we often adopt male-inspired styles, but I wanted to look at women's emotional depth, and dressing and undressing."

Concealed appeal was also present, too, in a dress shirt in supple white leather. "Each woman is unique," Burton stated. "Occasionally during casting, a model tries on a garment and I can just tell that she prefers not to wear heels. Therefore, I adjust the outfit."

Red Carpet Revival

Givenchy is reaffirming its position in red carpet dressing. Burton has outfitted Timothée Chalamet in a pale yellow formal suit at the Academy Awards, and Kaia Gerber in a vintage-feel ballerina gown of ebony lace at the Venice film festival.

Schiaparelli’s Surreal Resurgence

The fashion house Schiaparelli, fashion’s house of surrealism, has been making a comeback under designer Daniel Roseberry from America. Next year, the V&A will host the inaugural UK Schiaparelli showcase, examining the work of Elsa Schiaparelli and the fashion house she established.

"Schiaparelli is not merely purchased, you collect Schiaparelli," Roseberry declared post-presentation.

Clients of Schiaparelli don’t need an exhibition to tell them that these clothes are art. Connection with the art world is beneficial for business – clothes come with gallery prices, with jackets starting at about £5,000. And revenue, as well as reputation, is rising. The venue for the show was the Centre Pompidou in Paris, another reminder of how deeply this fashion house is connected to the arts.

Returning to Historic Partnerships

Roseberry recalled one of Elsa’s most famous collaborations with surrealist master Dalí, the 1938 "Tears" gown which is set to feature in the V&A exhibition. "This was about revisiting the foundation of the brand," he said.

The torn effects in the original were artistically applied, but for the updated version Roseberry tore into the silk crepe itself. In both designs, the rips are eerily suggestive of flayed flesh.

Eerie Details and Playful Threat

A hint of danger exists at Schiaparelli – Elsa described her mannequins, with their angular shoulders and cinched waists, as her plaything troops – as well as a cheerful embrace of wit. Buttons in the form of fingernails and metallic nose ornaments as earrings are the distinctive language of the house. The highlight of this presentation: faux fur made from paintbrushes.

Surrealist elements appear all over current fashion. Eggshell-inspired heels – treading carefully, geddit? – were a sellout at the brand Loewe. Surrealist distorted timepieces have appeared on stage at the house of Moschino. But Schiaparelli leads in this area, and Roseberry commands it.

"Designs by Schiaparelli feature an extreme drama which dominates the space," he expressed. A red gown was adorned with a geometric insert of flesh-toned mesh that was positioned approximately where briefs are usually located, in a head-swivelling illusion of bare skin. The balance between practicality and drama is all part of the show.

New York Designers in Paris

A carousel of creative director launches has welcomed two NYC stars to the French fashion world. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez have departed from the Proenza Schouler brand they created in 2002 to lead Loewe, the Spanish leather house that expanded into a $1.5bn (£1.1bn) alpha name under the leadership of Jonathan Anderson before his departure to Dior.

The Americans looked delighted to be in Paris, France. Vibrant Ellsworth Kelly hues brought a cheerful pop art vibe to the in-the-know art smarts for which Loewe now stands. Vivid yellow slip-ons dangled their tassels like the hem of Josephine Baker; a scarlet fitted jacket had the confident glossy contours of a condiment vessel. And a party gown imitating a fresh-from-the-bath towel, plush as a newly washed cloth, achieved the ideal blend where innovative design intersects with stylish enjoyment.