For her second collection for Givenchy, Sarah Burton wanted to “explore the strengths of women through feminine archetypes.” Her show notes were just a few lines: “It started with peeling back the structure of tailoring to reveal skin and a sense of lightness and ease—and then exploring the female vocabulary of dress and undress.”

With the aid of Naomi Campbell, Mariacarla Boscono, Alex Consani and Eva Herzigová, among many others, Burton furthered her vision for Givency from last season, looking less to the house’s past this time, but towards a future that is undeniably Burton’s. Her precise tailoring was on full display across a number of suited looks, whether they were kept fully intact or deconstructed entirely. Last season’s fish-netting was back but more sculptural and pouffy this time. So too was Burton’s chunky jewellery, which on one look was actually transformed into a barely-there dress.

Trench coats came slashed, car coats appeared graffitied, and leather bombers featured sleek double-zip collars. Heels were enveloped in fringe, ballet flats struck an ultra-trendy note. Some footwear was layered with silk that bloomed like flowers, while other heels were tied off with neat bows. Bags swung from chain handles and brimmed with accessories. One of the final looks, a grand satin coat with hand-stitched embroidery, looked like an Impressionist painting that melted down into fringing.

At the end, Kaia Gerber came out in a cutaway bra and bed sheet skirt, a recurring silhouette throughout the collection. It was the perfect embodiment of the “peeling back” that was central to Burton this season.