See how the designer's are facing the world with a spirit of optimism

Well, that's what it looks like at Couture anyway. From Paris this week the message is clear, be happy, not gloomy. And there is also a sense that creativity is born out of adversity, with some breathtaking pieces and opulent trends emerging.

Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel show yesterday was inspired by a 'clean sheet of white paper', possibly the most austere of influences. But from there sprung delicate origami like pieces, razor sharp, modern cuts, innovative details and Katsuya Kamo's showstopping flowered headdresses. A breath of fresh air for spring, and for the global climate.

At Armani Prive, Giorgio Armani channelled the decadent 1930's of Shanghai, then dubbed, 'The Paris of The East', a place which seemed to escape the Great Depression of the West, while Christian Lacroix iced almost every one of his looks with piles of expensive and glamorous jewellery.

On Monday at Christian Dior, John Galliano said backstage, 'there's a credit crunch, not a creative crunch. Of course, everyone is being more careful with their discretionary purchases. But it's our job to make people dream.'

And dreaming we are, of candy coloured confections, tulle dresses as light as air and layers of baubles and pearls.

'To get through the next year an optimistic outlook is essential to weather the economic downturn' says ELLEuk.com's Editor Melissa Dick. And you can adopt this mantra, even if you don't have a couture budget, which let's face it, few of us do.

Raid your jewellery box, or your mother's, for forgotten pieces to layer up, and don't worry if they clash, wear them all together. Opt for high-street pieces with origami and laser cut finishes (click her to see what's hitting stores this week) and add more colour to your wardrobe - as Riccardo Tisci did with his Givenchy Couture collection yesterday (where Roisin Murphy, pictured, sat front row.) A real departure for the designer