With the focus being Fall-Winter, coats and jackets unsurprisingly assume a starring role. Whether double-breasted and mannish, in leather with a segmented basque, or the more familiar, A-line forms, each construction was flawless up-close. And these varying silhouettes will speak to all the women who are already accustomed to investing in such understated power dressing.

Colorful butterflies, meanwhile, will make a far more extroverted statement—one that will be recognizable to anyone whose archival memory of past collections stretches back to 1991. A devout animal lover, Monsieur Alaïa apparently had a particular fondness for les papillonsand the freedom they represented. Freshly revived (originals can still be found on 1st dibs and other vintage sites), they are rendered in printed poplin, jacquard knit, and embroidered tulle alike. They give this collection a lovely lightness, balancing out a certain formal respect for house codes that comes across in the designer’s absence.

A few other notable mentions: shearling tamed by a spiraling embroidery; suede punctuated with dimensional tags and knit motifs that conjured alternate animal themes; wavy Op Art–ish graphics; and the demi-couture gown in froths of champagne silk lace, which served to remind of the delicate, time-intensive techniques that the atelier does so well. Courtesy of vogue.com

The past is clear; the future is obscure.

The main ready-to-wear collection, treats familiar volumes and fabrications with restraint and precision but also with freshness. Cotton shirtdresses were covered in laser perforations that have been delicately embroidered, and a white jacket in a looping openwork pattern looked even more handcrafted than lace. The looks encrusted with fringed raffia were made of woven raffia, which gives them a flattering harmony of structure and swish. And anyone who can’t imagine Alaïa without the fine-gauge knit, body-con dresses, and laser-cut leather belts, fear not, there were a few of these, too. A bustier with straps that crisscrossed the torso drew so closely from the DNA that it might as well have been vintage.

These looks and more—cropped python jackets, crisp poplin shirts, a selection of instantly desirable bags, belts, and shoes—were presented from an upstairs suite that serves as a guest apartment for the designer’s innermost circle. That the racks were surrounded by a stunning selection of iconic modern furniture (an industrial table and chairs by Jean Prouvé, the multiarmed wall lamp from Serge Mouille, seating by Pierre Paulin) further reinforced Alaïa’s mastery of a timeless aesthetic and the appeal in reissuing flawless design. For now, this strategy not only seems solid, it once again defines Maison Alaïa against industry/retailer/consumer expectations of newness each season. Courtesy of vogue.com

The whole point of this exercise remained the same: to create garments that make the wearer feel confident/stronger/better/more fully herself. That should not be a trend or response to a cultural moment. It should be a given.