Playing host to the Spring 2016 Haute Couture shows last week, the French capital saw bold structures, exaggerated silhouettes and asymmetric hemlines gracing the runways. Bridging architecture with fashion, designs featured floor-skimming trains, sleeves and even tiers. One of the many eye-catching looks on the Parisian catwalk belonged to couturier Stephane Rolland. The striking red-layered dress stood out with a choppy and sculpted train that fanned outwards. This is but one of a number that we think will be showing up at red carpet events in 2016.

Stephane Rolland

Ralph and Russo played with proportions by adorning its bridal ball gown with flared sleeves that fluted out from the elbow, dropping into diaphanous, jewel-encrusted mini trains of their own, and Guo Pei stunned with a square-cut train that stemmed from a corseted dress with sculpted hips that provided the perfect example of razor sharp form.

Ralph & Russo

Guo Pei

Elsewhere on the catwalks, Giambattista Valli sent out tiered gowns featuring triangular layer upon layer of stiff, frothy organza, and Alexis Mabille played with loose, voluminous structures that riffed on breezy nightwear but were in fact fitted to protrude outwards from the body.

Gambattista Valli

Alexis Mabille

Full credit, however, must go to the immutable Viktor & Rolf, whose colossal towering Cubist structures composed of distorted 3D facial features and gigantic ruffles went the furthest in pushing the increasingly porous boundaries between art and couture. We previously covered their collection here, alongside Valentino.

Viktor & Rolf