“Overt femininity” was the buzz phrase at Brown Thomas yesterday, used to describe the vibe of the spring collections at an early morning preview staged in the store’s bright new €9 million accessories hall.

Introduced by womenswear director Shelly Corkery, who was dressed in black with a single chandelier earring, the show consisted of 100 items from more than 30 international designers, including menswear from Armani, Canali and Brunello Cucinelli.

With so many showpiece items and attendant accessories on the catwalk, how to assess the season from this presentation?

It was certainly colourful and full of print, with “1970s Renaissance”, “Monastic Zen” and “Bloom Boom” cited as trends.

In reality, lengths were diverse, from short and midi to long and asymmetrical, a variety also evident in footwear, from perilously high velvet platforms (Beckham) to pointed and painted flats (Manolo Blahnik) and cute Perspex kitten heels (Miu Miu). Trousers were mostly cropped.

Major impression

The major impression was girlish, stylish and fresh, and on a wintry morning created a longing for the heady days of summer.

There was an emphasis on fit and flare dresses, colour blocking – notably at Valentino and Roksanda Ilinic – and minimal separates, the best in simple black and white (Stella McCartney, The Row, Victoria Beckham), contrasting with Marni's sober Japanese style separates.

The few coats were bohemian duster-style silks from Dries van Noten and a solid peacoat in pale blue from Gucci.

Memorable items were the playful pink dresses with Peter Pan collars from Valentino, polka dot ensembles from Dolce & Gabbana and Erdem, perfect for summer weddings.

But the stars of the show were the three items from Dior: a creamy dress layered on the bias, a full skirt with a tautly tailored jacket and a pink coat the colour of spun sugar.

Desirable, but no prices were quoted.