Narciso Rodriguez Takes It Down a Level

The telling thing was the boots. They were in soft suede, laced up the back from sole to ankle, and absolutely flat. No heel at all. In pale dove grey or pure black, these boots anchored a collection that was downbeat and relaxed - quite a departure for Narciso Rodriguez, not generally known for being laidback.

With reworked plaids, geometric stripes and paintbrush prints, his usual minimalism was transformed into something loose and almost languid. So was the colour palette, moving from monochrome to include pink, coral, lavender and red, grey and charcoal, winter white.

Transparent chiffons were used for layering, worn with wool pieces that were often piped along the seams with leather. Key to the collection was outerwear, as with so many collections this week: a burnt orange collarless coat came in what looked like boiled wool, without buttons or detailing, while a nubby oatmeal boucle had broad black panels. It all felt fresh and new, clever but not tricky. A master at work.

See the complete collection here