Since arriving at Celine two years ago, Phoebe Philo's work at Celine has become the benchmark. Her minimalist aesthetic has 'inspired' a legion of other designers - Kanye West included - and the brand's signature bag has quickly become the most sported accessory at the shows for the last few seasons. So with a successful two years behind her, Philo could easily continue to churn out the clean-lined pieces that her loyal customer base love, but instead she introduced some new elements for S/S12.

This season was all about playing with proportions, she explained. This translated clearly on fifties silhouettes that reminded me of what we saw at Miu Miu last season. Tops, coats and cropped double pocketed jackets all came with pronounced rounded shoulders and big sleeves and tops often came in peplum shapes, while jackets and skirts were teamed with huge waist belts. Skirts all touched on the 1940s, particularly on a two-tone emerald green and white over the knee length version. While the fabrics on white dresses, wide legged trousers and tops were lightweight, the outerwear and the series of leather dresses and tops felt too heavy for spring.