Ghesquière's success has everything to do with his ability to subtly evoke a variety of references, altogether avoiding clichés and creating clothes that are richly layered in meaning and almost impossible to categorize. The early 1900s were a point of departure for his black-and-gray collection, but Ghesquière's architectural and impeccably executed designs soon took on a life all their own. Tight vests created hourglass silhouettes, some with exaggerated hips; front plackets on tops were tightly wound and crisscrossed like lace-up corsets. His fitted trousers, which have a devout cult following, were studded to match buckle jackets; miniskirts came with layer upon layer of ruffles, pleats, tassels and appliqués that never looked redundant or heavy-handed.

Given his ongoing success, will Ghesquière launch his own label anytime soon? "I'm very happy at Balenciaga," said the designer after the show. "But I also want to work on my own line. The ideal would be to do both things simultaneously."

– By Armand Limnander