YSL's Stefano Pilati presented an achingly chic, achingly French collection for A/W 2009, encompassing slick leather, perfect masculine tailoring and monochrome wools guaranteed to inspire covetousness even in these financially difficult times.

It was sober, practical and consisting of shapes bound to filter down into the wardrobes of plenty of women by next winter, but Pilati's eye for elegant detail easily saved his pragmatic approach from being run-of the-mill.

Highlights included slightly oversize mannish blazers, leather pants (still big news for the forseeable future) and a version of the iconic Le Smoking.

Pleasingly, the 80s aesthetic was largely absent here, instead it was contemporary city dressing handled with that typical Pilati elegance that shone through.

Timelessness is a word bandied about regularly in the fashion world, but this is the real deal.

Invest now, wear forever.