Christian Lacroix tones down his act at Paris Fashion Week

Two diametrically opposed views of femininity were put before the catwalk junkies at Paris Fashion Week on Sunday. First up was the British designer Hussein Chalayan who allowed a hint of the Soho sex shop to infiltrate his autumn/winter pret-a-porter collection, including thigh-high, brown leather boots and a range of yellow, green and grey leather bustiers that had been created by a theatrical costumier in London.

These designs were in stark contrast to the new collection (pictured) from the normally flamboyant French designer Christian Lacroix, the inventor of the loathed and loved 'puffball'. For evening wear, Lacroix produced an abundance of fur collars and elaborate necklets of ribbon, lace and satin, to accessorise short, full-skirted cocktail frocks in gold satin, silk faille and finely-pleated lace.

Siding more with Chalayan, Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci presented a series of show-stoppers that looked as if they'd been inspired by the Addams Family, with ravishing cocktail dresses completely covered in hair.

The Paris season continues today with the new collection by Stella McCartney. Strongly anti-fur, she has allowed Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to stage a press conference after her show at which it will launch its new TV commercial featuring the voices of the singer Pink and the comedian Ricky Gervais as an alligator and a rabbit.