“Thrown in there” was exactly right. What Philo appears to be loving right now included cascading ruffly chiffon, Zandra Rhodes–style; Alaïa-ish short black flounce skirts; bad-taste ’80s animal-print poncho dresses; thick, orange woolly tights; and suede thigh boots. That’s not to say that she didn’t send plenty of the house classics down the runway, too. There were soft frocks (the staple on which Chloé built its reputation in the ’60s and ’70s), in a poppy print with a tie-back waistline, and a flippy two-tiered skirt. The classic girl-about-town navy coat came styled with a hoodie underneath, and jeans (unseen here since Stella McCartney moved on) made a comeback, skintight and with poppies appliquéd to the derrière and other strategic spots. A military shirt sleekly tucked into well-cut matching pants inspired a round of applause.

What was missing , though, was the coherence of Philo’s first few outings at Chloé. There was no graspable theme, as in “Brigitte Bardot in Saint-Tropez” and “Keith Richards at Altamont” of earlier seasons. It’s not that fashion needs a narrative to be interesting, but a strand of identifying, connecting thought is what helps lift things above the level of nice clothes on a rack.

– Sarah Mower