The dress designer, Thomas Wolfangel, looked amazed after the showing of his autumn collection in the Berkeley Court Hotel. It had gone down well, the tailoring immaculate and the evening dresses, in glittering, bejewelled fabrics, dazzled.
That's the way he does it, but it was significantly different this time because of the simplicity of the designs. But he seemed unaware that he had pulled off a little triumph.
Gone the fussy peplums, pleats and pintucking. Without the clutter it was easy to see why he is a Master Tailor.
All this, of course, is taking place within the bounds of a conventional dressmaker. Here is the everyday interpretation of the season's styles done in good cloth, cut for the individual. And it's very good value at £260-£420 for a suit that will last for years, presuming there isn't a fashion revolution.
Suits were the stars. Whether with fitted jackets and long, godet skirts, or with finger-tip jackets and short skirts, they caught the right note in checks, herringbone, boucles or smooth wools.
There was no devotion to any particular colour, and some of the best were in wine/black checks, browns and royal blues, but blacks, edged in velvet, were the dressiest. There were few coats, but a bluebell tweed was shapely and a success.
Suits have always been his strength. It was his late day/evening wear that sometimes failed, and all because he overdid the frilly thing.
This time was different, especially the long evening dresses, mere slips of dresses, worn under brocade or chiffon "coats".
Emerald or scarlet lace, moulded on to the wearer, dramatically showed how effective simplicity in a rich fabric can be. In fact simplicity in everything is best.