Yves Saint Laurent serves up strawberries and raspberries

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10 April 2012

Was it a happy coincidence that Prince, the man who wrote Raspberry Beret, was front row at the Yves Saint Laurent show?

For a fruitier offering has never been served up by designer Stefano Pilati.

A long, billowing, balloon-shaped dress came festooned with a raspberry motif, while an A-line pinafore dress was emblazoned with a print of strawberries.

Even the towering sandals came in raspberry-coloured suede, while some of the models' earrings were strawberries.

It was all a bit of a departure for Pilati, who has never before shown such a playful streak, his collections tending towards the serious, intellectual and sombre.

Perhaps he had taken to heart the memorable line uttered by Anna Wintour in the film The September Issue where, viewing his collection in the show room, she frostily asked: "Is there any colour?"

There was colour aplenty at this jaunty spring/summer show, from raspberry pink through to emerald and sapphire.

There was also far less black and grey than usual, though Pilati couldn't resist a dose of his beloved black leather, which was used for a sleeveless jacket and an ultra-short capelet.

The collection opened with a white section, each garment dense in textures.

Rosettes of denim wound round the front of a white sleeveless gilet, worn with trousers that tapered to the ankle.

The classic white shirt came with a ruffle front, while a long, sleeveless cotton dress was worn belted at the waist and with a flounce trailing to the floor.

Simple cottons and linens were used abundantly, though they were contrasted with the sort of technically advanced fabrics for which Pilati is renowned.

A hand-pleated cotton crochet lent a three dimensional effect to a black-belted dress, while jersey and wool boucle were bonded together on a grey sleeveless waistcoat.

Despite the playful strawberries, flounces and frills, this was in some ways a minimalist collection, at times stripped back to the most basic of shapes.

Apron-cut dresses, A-line skirts and simple tunic tops were typically Pilati, and what his legion of fans will flock to.

They will also adore the towering platform sandals, which combined romantic suede roses and spiky thorns, in a duality that very much sums up Yves Saint Laurent under Pilati's direction.

The small but perfectly-formed Prince is probably placing his order as we speak.

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