Valentino
Valentino won the hearts of Elizabeth Hurley and fiancé Arun Nayar with elegant champagne, bordeaux and black-and-white eveningwear gowns made of airy chiffons and rich velvets. Following the show, the Italian designer received the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor.

Dior
John Galliano captured the magic of fall/winter with a Cirque du Soleil meets A Midsummer Night’s Dream show. The envelope-pushing designer beautifully executed the elaborate Christian Dior production with vibrant gowns designed around shiny, metallic armor.  The fashion extravaganza ended with the flamboyant designer wearing an outfit only he could pull off—an out-of-this-world astronaut suit. Looking glam front row were Mischa Barton, Drew Barrymore, Liv Tyler and Cher.

Chanel
Also adding a little Renaissance flair to the fall was Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel. The German couturier unveiled scrumptiously delicious designs, including rich, Elizabethan-inspired dresses adorned with precious jewels and stunning embroidery work. Pop princess Kylie Minogue, dressed in a classic black Chanel dress and gorgeous pearls, attended.

Armani
Meantime, Giorgio Armani commanded his show with a soft yet funky interpretation of fall/winter fashion. The red carpet icon drew from a palette of charcoal gray, creamy beige and various shades of black and crafted luscious furs and cashmeres, sensual silks, satins and chiffons, as well as edgy, python leathers into flattering silhouettes. Cher applauded her long-time friend’s show, commenting she was impressed with everything: "When they went past you, it just seemed like everything was (floating) on air,” the legendary singer added.

Givenchy
Meanwhile, Ozwald Boateng gave Givenchy a splash of color and style. Be on the look out for silver, black and white color combinations, including hot metallic silver coats and crisp three-piece white linen suits from the fashion house next spring.

Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler tackled the millennium rocker look with ease with tailored black suits and slim trousers paired with tops made of daring shades of orange, electric blue and silver.  

Lanvin
The Jeanne Lanvin house however chose to address the stuffy, traditional look of the power suit. Models for the famous French line appeared casual chic in sleek tops paired with baseball caps and pant legs rolled above the ankles. Make this look work with snappy, eye-catching shoes.

Moschino
Also giving the power suit a makeover was Moschino. The luxe label maintained the conservative, preppy look of the suits but vamped them to metro cool with pant hemlines rising to become shorts. A sharp, graphite-colored jacket paired with matching shorts and tie and a Bahaman-print long-sleeved shirt was by far the most memorable ensemble.

Jean Paul Gaultier
But Jean Paul Gaultier threw down the gauntlet as the famous French designer, renowned for making skirts and kilts the must-wear coordinate for the fashion forward man, blurred gender and fashion lines. Male models took to the runway clad in draping feminine blouses, tight jackets and high-heeled wedges while their female counterparts donned masculine, high-powered suits.

Yves Saint Laurent
Yet Yves Saint Laurent reserved classic, timeless pieces for its spring/summer show. Designer Stefani Pilati drew mostly from a fashion staple palette of olive green, khaki and grey with the occasional splash of lavender, cobalt and canary yellow here and there to mold sophisticated masterpieces. Casual ensembles such as a pale yellow blazer paired with a white tee and ecru shorts appeared perfect for a Mediterranean holiday or an African safari.