Notably, during the second half of Paris Fashion Week, Nadège Vanhée at Hermès and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga both explored the idea of chiaroscuro, the interplay between light and dark. Vanhée was thinking about a liminal realm. A low lit set evoked dusk, with two glowing, moon-like circles at either end of a catwalk surrounded by moss. Brooding shades from oxblood to olive, and inky blue, with shots of sulphur yellow and ochre helped paint this nocturnal world, and sheeny finishes suggested moonlight. So Hermès’ horseriding heritage was blended with a tougher, biker edge and neat 1960s tailoring, which underlined a growing sense this season that oversized suiting generally may have run out of steam. Leather minidresses featured zips down the front and utilitarian pockets, while leather jumpsuits suggested Marianne Faithfull in The Girl on a Motorcycle. Many outfits were paired with over-the-knee boots, while coats featured saddle-shaped pockets.