Indigo

There is only one colour deep and complex enough to capture our mood this season, so designers went ahead and dabbled indigo all over the catwalks. Think peacock majesty, and combine with shades of viridian, teal, french navy and grape to create a more opulent colour palette than ever before. The star piece of the runways has to be Balenciaga’s devoré velvet gown, dreamed up by Nicholas Ghesquière, which plays with light, transparency, texture and tone all in one whisp of a dress. Don’t just limit yourself to evening wear though; Kenzo put forward an exquisite winter coat with fur trimming that simply screamed luxury.

Velvet

Not traditionally known for its sex appeal, and more associated with your Granny’s Christmas party outfit, velvet has spent a long time languishing in the back of our closets. And now it’s time to come out. Designers like Ralph Lauren, Prada and Fendi have vamped velvet up and transformed it into the staple fabric of seductresses everywhere. Sexy one shoulder cuts, missing panels and sheer lace underlay brought velvet into the 21st century; and out of our wardrobes this winter. Opt for sedate tones of charcoal, mauve, gold and midnight blue to truly target the trend. We adore Proenza Schouler’s off the shoulder cocktail number and Georgio Armani’s one shoulder embellished dress.

Fluff

It isn’t often that we find a trend that will actually keep us warm into the winter, but lo and behold we might just have cracked it. Think furry, think fluffy, and think big. Favourite items that fluffed up the runways were Givenchy’s furry shoes by Ricardo Tisci, and the chunky coats at Bottega Veneta. It’s all about playing with proportion this time around; pair thick fur over dainty evening dresses, and contrast your fabrics as much as possible. Silks slipped underneath hefty outerwear offer the most striking combination, and don’t forget to keep your hemlines short to avoid the abominable snowman look.

The Thigh’s the Limit

Ok, don’t panic. We promise you don’t have to do this, and we also promise that if you do; you don’t have to look like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Louis Vuitton offered the most elaborate of options, with full on gold embellished thigh high platforms worthy of wonder woman on a night out; but there are plenty of more subtle options in nude tones that are incredibly wearable. Emilio Pucci and Ermanno Scervino had some of the best, although Prada’s waders must also be admired for their incredible innovation.

Leather

Leather is ladylike. Honest. Toss out any images of motorbikes and hells angels, and start to think about actual cherubs instead. This season’s leather is light weight and buttery enough for any little cupid, with fine tailoring dainty enough to flutter about in. Opt for a dress to really epitomise the trend, although versatile separates will give you the opportunity to mix up your textures too. Maxmara won our vote on the skirt front, although if you’re looking for full on wow factor, it has to be Hermes’ fighter-pilot inspired coats.

Rocks

Get your rocks off by getting them on your clothes. Embellishment is the season’s vice: we know we shouldn’t but it just feels so damn good. Louis Vuitton turned their hand to embellishing leggings (how more blasé about the credit crunch can you possibly get?) and Nichole Farhi produced  a beautiful trophy jacket. Ideally choose embellished shoulders, or simply opt for full-on jewel encrusted pieces that really get the point across.

Shoulders

Last time we did it, we had something to prove. This time around, we have something to flaunt. Choose you designer according to how far you dare to go. Herve Leger by Max Azria, YSL and Stella McCartney offered the most wearable of options, with soft rounded exaggeration that extends outwards from shoulder level. If you want to channel the trend in its purest form, turn to Balmain, the pied piper of trends, for risky, horn-like interpretations of power dressing.

Camel

The holy grail of tailoring is a coat that will last the test of time, keep us warm and still look stylish on our deathbed. We hear whisperings of a new messiah every season, but ultimately they turn out to be impostors that date within a couple of years or so. But this season ladies, our saviour has truly come. The Camel Coat has been resurrected. It is actually insulting to the coat to list it in a trends feature, as it has in fact always remained stylish… but for some reason it just hasn’t been passed down from the previous generation of fashionistas to ourselves; until now. Look to Max Mara, Ferregano, and Michael Kors for sleek tailoring and unadulterated sophistication.

French

There is nowhere more obvious to head to than Chanel for sleek Parisian chic, and Mr Lagerfeld did himself proud this season. Fabulous pussy bow blouses in angora and his lace, lace, lace aesthetic really led the way for all things French; with Balmain offering striped sequin jumpers and Lanvin producing radiant skirt suits that epitomize Parisian style. Accessorize with a chain bag, long length gloves and glittering brooches to really emulate Brigitte Bardot and her gang.