If you’ve come to expect Francisco Costa to present a parade of gauzy nude slip-dresses each spring please brace yourselves. Though the Calvin aesthetic remains consistently minimal Costa flipped the script on his S/S15 collection, offering a powerful and at times sexy collection dominated by bold color and sculptural silhouettes. Starting with a column of navy viscose on opener Elena Peter, Costa built on compelling ideas about layering, placing tank dresses over skirts and flared pants cut above the ankle to create a long and lithe look that made the already tall models seem well over 6ft in their platform sling-backs.

The sapphire tones continued with patchwork leather jackets, mesh knits and glossy textures forming particularly appealing segment that disregarded the old rules about mixing black and navy to great effect. The addition of a few shots of rich oxblood red was positively electric with a perforated coat on Lexi Boling garnering attention the moment she set foot on the runway. Metallic pieces on Hanne Gaby Odiele and Harleth were similarly fun, but nothing was quite as alluring as the plunging neckline marine embroidered metallic scoop dress on Tami Williams. Costa rarely delves into overtly sexy territory but with 80s it-girl Tina Chow serving as an inspiration he seems to have tapped into a sensual side. This is one Calvin number we can’t wait to see on one of the brand’s many celebrity acolytes come awards season.

Clothes aside, you can’t talk Calvin without a nod to the Maida and Rami selected exclusives, this season the fresh set of new faces was primarily blonde and wide eyed with opener Elena Peter, Julie Hoomans and Sabine Cozijnsen looking like they stepped out of a fairytale and onto Costa’s runway. Refined beauties Jo Molenaar and Louise Lefebure meshed well with the show’s themes of power and femininity, providing a womanly presence on Costa’s runway that belied their youth.

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