Paris Fashion Week 2012 day 6: graphic Hermès, glamorous Giambattista Valli and the black and blues at Saint Laurent

From Saint Laurent, there were many floating kaftan-like cover-ups – almost abayas – draped over the edgy silhouettes. Gonzalo Fuentes / Reuters

On Sunday afternoon Christophe Lemaire showed his new collection for Hermès, a relaxed, tailored line that recalls the days of Martin Margiela's reign at the leathergoods brand, but adds a whole lot more colour and fun. Scarf-print shirts, shorts and loose tapered trousers in twill silk and cotton used tropical and architectural inspirations in a combination of corals, pastels and blues, but simple, masculine suits and plain leather tunics, tees and shorts were as graphic as the prints were lively. At the re-see today, the lightness and crisp tailoring became apparent, and the accessories took centre-stage, including a fabulous graphic take on the Birkin.

Tees and shorts were as graphic as the prints were lively in Christophe Lemaire's collection for Hermes. Charles Platiau / Reuters

Giambattista Valli also hedged his bets between austerity and extravagance, and both sides of his collection looked great – though it’s a fair bet that the richly patterned and embellished eveningwear will be most memorable. Starting with short, grey, double-breasted trouser suits so plain the jackets didn’t even have buttons at their single fastening, he interspersed pieces of lace, delicate ruffles, the occasional peplum, and geometric beading in black, white and gold. Bows, chiffon segments, lots of wrap or pencil skirts finally led to an explosion of cochineal red, as a print on white silk, as lace appliqué and as a full suit.

Giambattista Valli hedged his bets between austerity and extravagance, and both sides of his collection looked great. Martin Bureau / AFP Photo

The big news of the day was Hedi Slimane’s debut as the creative director at Yves Saint Laurent (or simply Saint Laurent as it’s now known). Slimane’s appointment was a gamble: he is best known for creating tiny suits for skinny men and having a brilliantly intuitive grasp of popular culture. Here, though, he did a Tom Ford, with a collection as desirably louche as Ford’s first Gucci outing. Models in giant black hats, with trilby crowns, channeled a sort of glam-rock-meets-blues look that would have made Steve Tyler very happy indeed.

A model presents a creation for Saint Laurent. Martin Bureau / AFP Photo

Beneath this, and the thumpingly loud blues-rock soundtrack, though, were some beautiful pieces that invoked the spirit of Saint Laurent: lean, nonchalant three-piece suits, big silk bows, glitzy-chic embellished jackets and bishop-sleeved long dresses in Lurex or black chiffon. There were also many, many floating kaftan-like cover-ups – almost abayas – draped over the edgy silhouettes; perhaps that was the influence of Slimane’s North African roots – something he shares with Saint Laurent. The collection felt somewhat wintery, and the applause was lukewarm afterwards, but it’s a good beginning and, having worked at YSL as head of menswear some years ago, Slimane understands the brand’s ethos like few others.

Models in giant black hats, with trilby crowns, channeled a sort of glam-rock-meets-blues look that would have made Steve Tyler very happy indeed. Martin Bureau / AFP Photo

France's first lady, Valerie Trierweiler, centre, sits alongside Sidaction vice-president Pierre Berge and US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour watching the collection from Saint Laurent. Martin Bureau / AFP Photo

For more information you can visit Mode à Paris

More from Paris Fashion Week

Day one: moody romanticism from Van Noten and Rochas Day two: Arora, Copping, Lanvin – a season to be contrary Day three: grown-up glamour at Dior, Anne-Valérie Hash, Roland Mouret – and rainbows at Issey Miyake In pictures: Backstage at Viktor & Rolf Day four-five: power play at Jean Paul Gaultier, Loewe and Andrew Gn Day seven: clean energy charms at Chanel Picture special: Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Dior seen, and re-seen Final day: Elie Saab and Louis Vuitton shine as the curtain falls like the rain in Paris

The National’s fashion correspondent Gemma Champ will be writing every day from Paris Fashion Week. She has previously blogged from London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week.