Dior Homme

The softer, more forgiving looks that are Van Assche's signature have finally laid to rest former Dior Homme designer Hedi Slimane's wraith-like silhouettes, as the designer played with the concept of lightweight layering for spring/summer 2010.

Layered transparencies and gauzy meshes gave a lighter-than-air feel to wider-cut tailored jackets - often sleeveless and teamed with the contrast of a semi-sheer shirt. Shoulders may have been structured, but waistcoat-like castellated hemlines, a billowing sheer parka or the soft drape of fulsome revers all added to the weightless appeal.

Detailing was minimal - this was a collection more about fabrication and ease of movement than tricksy embellishment - a fly-front on a smoky grey transparent shirt, a minuscule collar or a just-visible, layered bib front. Pant shapes were subtly cropped from an extended low rise, narrow belts nestling the hip. Knitwear, too, shared that same sense of soft ease, worked in the finest, almost mesh-like gauges.

Lanvin

There was a new edginess in the opening sequence of narrow suits that teamed stovepipe pants with lean fly-front sleeveless jackets - a look far removed from Ossendrijver's signature poetic aesthetic.

The mood changed into something softer with a silky mac layered over sporty shorts, or in the slouched shoulder offsetting an unstructured DB jacket. There was a boyish charm, too, in the easy shorts crafted from silk club ties, or the truncated 1SB tailoring and simple leather blouson jackets worn with skimpy matching shorts.

Elsewhere, an easy sense of volume came through in a cropped round-sleeved jacket and full-legged pleat-front pants, and there was a play on pattern with sporty printed jersey coordinates.

Ossendrijver introduced flashes of rich colour into the mainly sombre palette, with garnet, pine, damson and brick offsetting his smoky greys, black and ink.

Paul Smith

Sober grey suiting kept the collection grounded, but overall the mood was upbeat and optimistic - softer, less structured silhouettes offering a more youthful beat to Smith's signature tailoring.

There was a younger, breezy feel, too, in the lightweight rainwear and easy cagoules or the shirt/blouson hybrids - some featuring a soft, celestial cloud-like print.

There was less emphasis on pattern this season - the designer's favoured plaids and florals were replaced with sketchbook-style imagery depicting iconic architectural landmarks or finely rendered botanical motifs, both with a hand-drawn aesthetic, while pale aquarelle pastels added to the retro feel.

There was a play on sheen with subtly reflective fabrics and an uplifting palette of vivid Yves Klein blue, aqua and cool menthe contrasted with a splash of fiery brights - poppy, orange and purple.