The inspiration for the silhouette was not Kim Kardashian, but Alberto Giacometti’s 1920s sculpture Spoon Woman .

The colour scheme of the collection and setting paid homage to a British interior designer of the same era, Syrie Maugham. The white catwalk and seating alluded to the all-white interiors Maugham popularised. The centrepiece of mirrored screens was another Maugham-inspired touch.

The pencil skirt of a tweed suit was blown out into an airy curve to give the illusion of a bigger bottom. A shift dress was fluted in an A-line from below an empire-line belt, as if gliding over a comfortably full tummy. There was nothing cartoonish or comic here.

The effect was subtle, but unmistakably a departure from the conventional silhouette of a haute couture model, who in profile typically resembles Flat Stanley , the children’s book character.

The airy shape seemed to breathe new life into the familiar tweed suiting and made for a strong collection with a distinctly modern point of view. There were narrow silhouettes dotted between the curves, which added to the sense of a refreshingly non-uniform catwalk.

A Jackie Kennedy mood was conjured by the simple one-colour outfits with matching hats, by the cropped bracelet-length sleeves, and by clean-lined bateau necklines. High silver court shoes, and a single pearl anklet, were worn by each model.

As the collection segued into eveningwear the swell of the hips became less noticeable. Bella Hadid wore a halterneck black chiffon coat dress that flared gently from a raised waist, falling into three tiers to the floor.

Kendall Jenner’s silver column gown was slender aside from a wide band of white feathers at knee height.

Lily-Rose Depp closed the show, arm in arm with Lagerfeld, in a swan-like confection of ballet-slipper pink organza froth.

The appeal of Paris fashion week as a destination for the super-rich has been hit by security concerns, and this has affected the haute couture schedule. Versace declined to stage a show, but instead displayed a 20-piece collection in its private showroom. That collection will now embark on an international tour to meet clients closer to home.

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