The message from Paris was clear: never mind the bumpy economic ride, fashion is eternal. The city turned on a stunning display of pink and white blooms as Karl Lagerfeld showed all that was classic about Chanel - camellias, quilted handbags, the dead-flat pump, a perfect bow and boater.

The strongest designers, Alexander McQueen, Christian Lacroix, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Alber Elbaz, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs and Lagerfeld, sent clear messages - longer hemlines, high-waisted trousers - but ultimately it was Jean Paul Gaultier’s season.

The man who was tagged as an enfant terrible for much of his career dressed France’s new star, Marion Cotillard (who won an Academy Award last week for her role in La Vie En Rose), then created a stir for his own label which featured all the arctic furry animals imaginable with tails, heads and tiny paws flying.

Gaultier’s masterstroke lay in his collection for Hermes, which displayed his deep understanding of the house that raises the idea of luxury to incredible heights.

The Hermes runway was a Persian runner carpet and there were hints of Ottoman luxe in the patterned skirts, fringing and tasselled silk belts. But Gaultier was true to the brand, with a big show of beautifully executed coats and jackets, worn with tossed cashmere shawls. A crocodile blazer was a Moorish, tactile delight.

At Sunday night’s Lanvin show, the audience was treated to a strong, striking, futuristic performance. Alber Elbaz seems to own the combination of black and navy and his elegant sobriety was elevated to an art form when ribbons and vertical pleats emerged in navy dresses and suits. A dress that looked like a simple sheath turned to show a ribboned back seam from neck to hemline. He dotted bows about and lashed wrists and necklines with dazzling chunks of crystal. A navy bodice was a soft, draped bow; a blushing, nude chiffon dress with angled pleats and hemline was light romanticism and his black petal dress - a mass of fluttering leaves - oozed with frivolity. Seams on simple dresses became features, sewn externally to trace the body, or supporting flounces. There were silver fox details and black fur pelts draped across the shoulder to tie at the hips. To finish a series of cocktail frocks, he sent out a final dress detailed with crystals and draped with pearls.

“This show confirms the week,” says Kirstie Clements, editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia. “In terms of elegance, Paris is very positive. It signals the return of the strong female and the allure of sculptural details. It was best at Balenciaga, Givenchy and Saint Laurent.