Dresses

This season brands were putting much less emphasis on the dress. Although still evident in many collections, the focus had moved away from dresses as a key piece. Styles were still largely unstructured and hovering above the knee with elbow-length sleeves. The common theme among collections was print. Winter florals, art nouveau and Liberty-inspired patterns were most prominent.

Outwear

Fabrication and colour were key on outerwear, with coats coming to the fore on many collections. Soft mohair or cashmere and wool mixes in strong statement colours were the order of the day, with purple, hot pink, white and aqua among the favourite bright shades. Brands were looking to differentiate via button detailing and unique collar shapes, or with a new drop-waist silhouette.

Skirts

Although not the most predominant trend on show this season, the skirts that featureed at Pure for Autumn 08 made a statement. Fashion-forward brands presented the tulip shape, often in a block colour. Meanwhile, below-the-knee offerings at more casual-led brands came in crinkled fabrications, with florals, fine checks, tartans and classic tweed options all proving popular.

Tailoring

Tailoring was thinner on the ground than in previous seasons, and the most interesting pieces tended to conform to a classic-waisted silhouette. Couture elements came to the fore in detailing with inverted pleats, fur collars and tailored back panels, with contrast textures or reverse-stitch patterns. Black dominated a sober palette, lifted by grey, white and a sprinkling of traditional tweeds.

Tops

Brands were showing an eclectic offering of tops this season, with printed silk and pleated chiffon providing the strongest looks. Gathered necks and balloon sleeves with a looser fit were the most prevalent silhouettes. Brands looked to inject one of two colour palettes - either dusty, sophisticated tones of pink and mauve or hot oranges, pinks, and purples to jazz up black basics.

Blue and Black

From midnight and navy shades to electric and royal hues, shades of blue looked naturally at home when teamed with black. Costume National and Jill Stuart paired blue blouses and jackets with knee-length black skirts, while Louise Goldin's futuristic catsuit was overlaid with a black sequin-studded bolero.

Cocoons

Voluminous cocoon shapes made a dramatic impact on the autumn 08 catwalks with oversized coats, dresses and knits coming to the fore. Marc Jacobs' slouchy raglan-sleeved coat had a masculine edge, while others, from Basso & Brooke to Sophia Kokosalaki, introduced more futuristic styles with the emphasis still on volume.

Orange

Vibrant bolts of orange added zest to designers' collections. Brighter shades were generally reserved for statement-piece dresses, but burnt tones provided depth and warmth on daywear. Carolina Herrera and Sonia Rykiel chose orange on floor-length gowns, while Halston used it on a tailored blazer. Cocoon-shaped statement jackets at Daks and Paul & Joe came in vivid orange, while bright orange on Prada's vintage floral lace livened up an austere look.

Panelling

Sleek and simple dresses were given an instant shot of interest through the use of contrast panelling. Tone-on-tone shades of gold, tan and mushroom featured in Jonathan Saunders' collection, while Roksanda Ilincic opted for brighter swathes of hot pink and scarlet on liquid satin. Elsewhere, Bottega Veneta used strips of dusky pink to liven up a simple black knee-length dress.

Sculpture

Architecturally-inspired tailoring made its mark across many designer collections. Martin Grant's strictly-shaped oversized fold-over collar added an origami-style look to an otherwise traditional belted coat, while Issey Miyake put sculpted tiers on a hooded jacket. Stiff bell shapes were formed by Christian Lacroix and Louis Vuitton drew attention to the hips with protruding arch detailing on skirts.

Sombre Tones

Black, grey and dark neutrals were a dominating presence across the autumn 08 collections. Narcisco Rodriguez and Ralph Lauren offered sophisticated tailoringin black, while Veronique Branquinho and MaxMara used dark grey tones for their classically tailored pieces. Elsewhere, Belstaff reinterpreted its Roadmaster jacket into a cap-sleeved woollen dress in charcoal, while Calvin Klein played with contrasting textures in black for a preppy statement.

Surface Interest

No key dress shape stood out for autumn, with designers focusing on surface details and texture to differentiate their collections. Amanda Wakeley opted for medieval-inspired studded panels on emerald green gowns, Christopher Kane used oversized sequins on winter shades, and Peter Som matched feathered skirts with heavily embellished vests.