Brit designer Gareth Pugh brings avant-garde to Paris

Nine days of catwalk shows began in Paris at the weekend, hot on the heels of New York, London and Milan, and one of the highlights was avant-garde British designer Gareth Pugh (designs pictured) who made his Paris debut with a dramatic black and white collection. The 27-year-old designer from Sunderland sent out models - including Lily Donaldson and Jourdan Dunn - wearing Elizabethan ruffles and armour-like dresses made of plastic, vinyl and leather.

Sunday night saw Belgium designer Olivier Theyskens unveil a collection of voluminous dresses, lace cardigans and leather bomber jackets layered over gowns. Meanwhile Thai princess Sirivannavari Nariratana made her second showing at Paris ready-to-wear with a collection inspired by Seventies and Eighties rock, pairing biker jacket and boots with flapper frocks and silk minis.

Other designers unveiling their Spring/Summer 2009 collections in Paris this week include Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Stella McCartney.