Paris fashion week: Two trends compete on the catwalk

Celebrity designer Lindsay Lohan was a no-show at what should have been her second collection for Ungaro yesterday Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP Photograph: Christophe Ena/guardian.co.uk There's been no official statement, but the brand's owner, Asim Abdullah, told WWD : "She's not involved in this collection." Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA Photograph: Maya Vidon/guardian.co.uk Jess Cartner-Morley, the Guardian's fashion editor, said: "To say they were an improvement on the previous collection is faint praise indeed, but the gaudy cheapness which was attributed to Lohan's influence still lingered." Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA Photograph: Maya Vidon/guardian.co.uk Stella McCartney's show was praised for its pared-down, slick tailoring, with evening dresses featuring asymetrical, sweeping hemlines Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA Photograph: Maya Vidon/guardian.co.uk The austere mood of the clothes contrasted with the opulent surroundings of the Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Opera Photograph: Jacques Brinon/AP Photograph: Jacques Brinon/guardian.co.uk The mood was also lifted by the choice of music: the show began with Ludacris’s Sexting - a parody of the infamous voicemail left by Tiger Woods Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA Photograph: Maya Vidon/guardian.co.uk Another McCartney staple is luxury sportswear - in this case a monochrome parka with detachable hood. The show was also free of fur and leather - unsurprisingly as the designer is a committed vegetarian Photograph: Maya Vidon/EPA Photograph: Maya Vidon/guardian.co.uk Stefano Pilati's collection for Yves Saint Laurent featured the odd shock of colour, but was otherwise a stark, puritan affair Photograph: Jacques Brinon/AP Photograph: Jacques Brinon/guardian.co.uk The designer appeared to be inspired by 'monastic chic' - or perhaps had watched The Sound of Music one too many times. Oddly, the designer denied any religious symbolism Photograph: Sipa Press / Rex Features/Sipa Press / Rex Features Photograph: Sipa Press / Rex Features/guardian.co.uk Pilati said he had looked back to images from the Saint Laurent archive from the 1970s, creating gold pendants of models' silhouettes Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/AFP Photograph: Patrick Kovarik/guardian.co.uk The first retrospective of Yves Saint-Laurent himself opens this week to coincide with the show Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/guardian.co.uk Vanessa Bruno is hugely popular for her laid-back luxe look, and this show continued in her signature vein Photograph: Lucas Dolega/EPA Photograph: Lucas Dolega/guardian.co.uk Masculine blazers worn over sheer floral dresses are bound to prove bestsellers, though leather shorts might challenge all but the very slim of thigh Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/guardian.co.uk Antonio Marras for Kenzo was another designer looking back to the 1970s for inspiration, in his case with layering and longer hemlines Photograph: Benoit Tessier/REUTERS Photograph: Benoit Tessier/guardian.co.uk Kenzo has a rich heritage of prints, and a wide array of them featured on the catwalk yesterday Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters Photograph: Benoit Tessier/guardian.co.uk