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Coinciding with the pop star Taylor Swift, Sarah Burton stepped into her Showgirl phase. In her second collection as the creative director of Givenchy, Burton heightened the intensity with collars embellished with shimmering stones across the collarbone area, opulent peach-toned feather accents, a sleek and short cocktail dress in bold crimson leather, and Naomi Campbell in a tailored tuxedo blazer worn open over a minimalist lace-adorned bra.

Forging a Unique Path

Burton has been at Givenchy for a short period, but the longtime associate of Alexander McQueen has swiftly crafted a distinctive character for the brand and for herself. Givenchy, the legendary domain of Audrey Hepburn and the classic LBD, has a flawless lineage of glamour that extends from the French capital to Tinseltown, but it is a smaller player as a business. Her recent predecessors had primarily focused on urban fashion and practical metallic details, but Burton is reintroducing the sophistication.

"My intention was for it to be seductive and intimate and to expose flesh," Burton explained following the presentation. "To strengthen women, we often adopt male-inspired styles, but I wanted to explore feminine sensibility, and the act of dressing and undressing."

Subtle seduction was evident, too, in an evening shirt in butter soft white leather. "Every woman is different," Burton stated. "At times when selecting models, a model dons a look and I can just tell that she prefers not to wear heels. Therefore, I adjust the outfit."

Red Carpet Revival

Givenchy is re-establishing itself in celebrity event attire. Burton has outfitted Timothée Chalamet in a soft yellow tuxedo at the Oscar ceremony, and Kaia Gerber in a classic ballerina-style gown of dark lace at the Venice Film Festival.

The Revival of Schiaparelli

Schiaparelli, the surrealist fashion label, has been making a comeback under the US-born creative director Daniel Roseberry. Next year, the V&A Museum will host the premier British exhibition on Schiaparelli, exploring the work of the founder Elsa Schiaparelli and the brand she created.

"Acquiring Schiaparelli is not about buying, it becomes a collection," Roseberry said backstage.

Women who wear Schiaparelli require no exhibition to tell them that these designs are masterpieces. Connection with the art world is positive for revenue – garments carry art gallery price tags, with jackets starting at about £5,000. And income, as well as reputation, is rising. The location of the presentation was the Pompidou Centre in the French capital, another reminder of how intimately this brand is linked to art.

Echoing Past Artistic Alliances

Roseberry revisited one of Elsa’s most famous collaborations with surrealist master Dalí, the 1938 "Tears" gown which will be in the V&A show. "This focused on revisiting the foundation of the brand," he said.

The “rips” in the original were carefully rendered, but for the contemporary take Roseberry shredded the silk crepe itself. In both designs, the shreds are hauntingly reminiscent of flayed flesh.

Surreal Elements and Menacing Charm

A hint of danger exists at the Schiaparelli house – Elsa referred to her mannequins, with their sharp shoulders and tailored waists, as her toy soldiers – as well as a joyful appreciation for humor. Fingernail-inspired fasteners and gold noses dangling as earrings are the distinctive language of the brand. The punchline of this show: fake fur crafted from paintbrushes.

Avant-garde themes emerge across modern style. Eggshell-inspired heels – walking on eggshells, geddit? – were extremely popular at the brand Loewe. Dalí-inspired melting clocks have walked the catwalk at the Moschino label. But Schiaparelli owns this territory, and Roseberry presides over it.

"Schiaparelli clothes have an extreme drama which captivates everyone present," he stated. A scarlet ensemble was adorned with a triangular panel of nude-hued fabric that sat roughly where briefs are usually located, in a head-swivelling illusion of nakedness. The balance between practicality and drama is all part of the show.

American Creatives in the French Capital

A whirlwind of new designer introductions has welcomed two NYC stars to the French fashion world. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez have left behind their Proenza Schouler label they founded in 2002 to helm Loewe, the Spain-based leather label that grew into a $1.5bn (£1.1bn) alpha name under the direction of Jonathan Anderson before he moved to Dior.

The Americans looked delighted to be in Paris. Bold colors inspired by Ellsworth Kelly brought a joyful pop art sensibility to the in-the-know art smarts for which Loewe now stands. Vivid yellow slip-ons shook their tassels like Josephine Baker’s skirt; a red peplum jacket had the confident glossy contours of a tomato sauce container. And an evening dress disguised as a fresh-from-the-bath towel, fluffy as a freshly laundered bath sheet, achieved the ideal blend where clever design meets fashion fun.