The Maison Martin Margiela delivered the invitation for their Fall Winter 2010 show in an A4 white envelope. Inside, another envelope. Then another, and another – until one finally opened the smallest one to reveal the stamped details of the parade. Each envelope was a slightly different texture and tone of white – demonstrating one of the keystone motifs of the house in full swing, in the lead up to a show that proved to do the same. Margiela – back to basics and back on track.

Staged in the draughty hangars of the Halle Freyssinet in Paris, the red carpeted catwalk folded over itself in a zig-zag pattern, with chairs grouped around spotlights – creating a series of bright stages for the models to walk between, taking a minute to pose within each pool of light. Set to an industrial soundtrack of pulsing metal guitars, strings and crashing drums, the disjointed affair allowed for more than just seconds to take in each look, which was a refreshing lull from the pace of most shows. The only rush seemed to be in preparation, with each model’s lipstick artfully smeared across their faces.

The collection centred around several key themes that were reworked through a palette of black, white, nude and bright red. Traditional styles of jackets such as the perfecto, trench, tuxedo and peacoat were cut with an emphasized curve in the sleeve that tapered at the cuff, rounding out the shoulder in a distinctive circle. Trousers were offered in two conceptual variations – one style was a legging attached to a suiting trouser front, the other a wide legged style extended at the hips for a squared trompe l’oeil waistline.

Knitwear and tunics were sliced in the back, with high polo collars and loose long sleeves. The four white stitches were prominent, as were the shop boxes and white canvas shopping bags of the boutiques, worn as accessories in the show. A watch bracelet was enlarged and worn as a belt, and jewellery boxes also exaggerated as clutch bags. Fur made an appearance through the final looks, patched in black and tan across jackets and worn as a bizarre tent-like hooded cape.

There was a coherence to this fall presentation that left the audience content, pacified from the storm of last season’s brash styling by a classy rehash of many conceits that marked previous offerings. The word ‘FIN’ emblazoned upon the concrete floor at the end of the show was surely only to signify the end of the show, and certainly not to the house, which has returned with a formidable strength.