Sometimes a designer’s choice of inspiration can seem a bit random- and seemingly none so more than Paul Helbers for Louis Vuitton. This season his muse was NYC cycle couriers-as-butterflies, reflecting their fast paced life and their ’social butterfly’ way of connecting up a city. Thankfully there were no cycling models wearing giant wings. But there was a totally fun men’s collection that still felt luxury, with the gloss and quirk that Louis Vuitton’s womenswear has nailed so well.

There was a pair of shoes covered in sequins that actually flipped as you moved them, changing colour from silver to black. Other pairs came in metallic finishes, painted sequins and reflective, bike jacket style material. Elsewhere, the mesh trend got a nod in a fantastic belted parka- turning into the must have cover up of the season?- cotton macs came in New York taxi yellow and hot orange, there were touches of neon and cycling details like chain necklaces, ostrich-leather backpacks and jersey shorts with contrast waistbands. A watercolour, mottled effect ran through the collection too. On fine velvet, it looked light and summery on a jacket and bow ties, and jazzed-up for evening on a jacquard pair of trousers.

The subtle trend for animal motifs also got a check with embroidery recreating the patterns of a butterfly’s wing on a satin trench and sandals. So what sounds like a tricky balance actually ended up as one of the season’s most diverse and accomplished collections, hanging together as a single vision. One to covet.

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