Known for his seriously sleek menswear collections, Gaspard Yurkievich approaches womenswear with a similar structured technique. Designing for a ‘woman and a mistress,’ the looks from the SS12 collection showed off a stylish duality. Forecasting a summer trend for schoolgirl chic, the tailored sportswear element to the designs gave a more grown up edge.

Taking intellectual inspiration from Aldous Huxley’s novel ‘Point Counterpoint’, Yurkievich applied hybridity to his designs through contrast. What appeared to be a skirt from the front was actually a pair of shorts, and a soft trench coat became a transparent chiffon dress as the model turned her back. Working with the foundation of a tailored school uniform, Yurkievich gave us a lesson in how to mix and match, from colour to volume and shape, with high neck blouses underneath slim pinafores of navy and beige with overstated pockets, soon followed by flowered prints on shorts, skirt and blouse.

Yurkievich did not hold back on detail, exploring the structured dress suit in a number of different forms, all with a feminine touch. With skirts over tailored trousers paired with sharp blouses, to a very simple pinafore dress with a bright collar, the designs showed how to rework and remodel one style. Beige was the dominant colour, but contrast saw cheerful splashing’s of lemon yellow, orange, green and a selection of neutral tones. More unusual was the use of tights, although we might pass that by as their bright tone gave a summery optimism. The stockings with the short skirts and dresses showed how a smart look might be given a cute edge.

Attracting top model and dj Leigh Lezark to the front row in a chandelier lit ballroom at the Intercontinental Le Grand Hôtel Paris, this collection was a demonstration of Yurkievich’s slick technique. The dual woman managed her soft femininity alongside a resolute independence. It showed how the uniform of the pretty schoolgirl might be used to experiment with tailoring, fabrics, and colour asserting her rightful place in the serious world of fashion.