What does the future hold? Well, if you're anywhere around fashion right now, the future is most definitely black. From Louis Vuitton and Viktor & Rolf, the past few days have been one long procession of black.
Even Paco Rabanne, the sooth-saying former couturier, predicts black for autumn but, then, he also predicted the end of the world during the solar eclipse in 1999, so perhaps there is a glimmer of hope. Issey Miyake and Thierry Mugler seem to be lone voices who don't subscribe to this view.
Louis Vuitton, one of the early high points of the Paris schedule, chose a sombre palette to emphasise a graphic new high-waisted silhouette - stiffened bell-shaped skirts and skinny jersey tops. Designer Marc Jacobs, one of the most directional in the business, was playing with proportions. It was a sober contrast to his pretty floral 1950s look of last season.
However, Jacobs gave the cavalry twill coats a touch of whimsicality by replacing the bottoms with pom-poms, collars with a frilled neckline and topping it all with fluffy fur hats. The only colour to creep into the collection was a soft powder blue for a jacket, a skirt, or a polomint print.
Of course, Louis Vuitton is essentially a luxury accessories label, so that sidelaced boots and little patent envelope purses will be the must-haves of next season.
The 1960s brand of futurism is a thread that has woven many collections together this season. So it was interesting to see what spin one of the few surviving designers of that era still in the business might put on the look himself. Paco Rabanne, not surprisingly, produced one of the best takes on the look. His familiar plastic disc tunic dresses worn with black rubber leggings returned to the catwalk and they looked great.
Bold, square or polomint discus are vintage Rabanne but, 40 years on, they still look as dynamic and modern as they did then.
However, this was not simply a collection of past triumphs. The black leather and knit body suits, the mini kilts and buckled leather corsets had a distinct 2001 rock'n'roll rather than Space Odyssey whiff to them.
Thierry Mugler also took a look at past triumphs, but other people's. His show was an entertaining sideswipe at Versace's recent Valley of the Dolls look (trouser suits and big dyed hairdos) and Galliano's Amazonian warriors at Dior (bleachblonde dreadlocks). Oh, and there was a bit of Mugler in the mix. It was an amusing parody that lifted the spirits.
The high point of yesterday, however, was Issey Miyake. Snow-splattered coats were followed by gorgeously vivid colour-stained separates in pink and orange or turquoise and jade. The skill of Miyake is in the amazing technology the house uses to create such magical effects. Presented with live classical music and a whistling wind, we were transported to a winter wonderland where the future is most definitely colour.