It was a relief, after all the chic, polished tailoring that has come down the catwalks in the past two weeks at the autumn/winter 2000 collections, to find clothes that are fun to wear.
Stella McCartney at Chloe proved just what a rock chick she is, and that there is still room to create a look that is funky and idiosyncratic.
Her version is best described as Camden chic, a mix of thrift shop and couture, which encompasses exquisitely hand-beaded blouses and zodiac motif T-shirts, or her boyfriend's hand-me-down coat with handbeaded diamond mini-dresses.
That juxtaposition of something old and (in spirit) something new is a signature theme of McCartney's.
She is a vocal opponent of the use of leather and fur, and responded to the glut of both on the catwalk by making chubby fake fur coats with feathers, sequins and leather belts carved with African motifs.
Alexander McQueen displayed no qualms about using leather for his punk-inspired collection for Givenchy. Think Chrissie Hynde with kohl-rimmed eyes and leather tunics with skin-tight trousers, or tartans dissected and draped at angles across the body.
It was a hard, edgy image which mixed military-green wool tailoring with white patent boots and belts, and a big black jacket worn with little but a chrome metal collar and a pair of black thigh-high boots.
There were the rock-chick elements such as the satin shirt with the thin tie, or a PVC bra and tiny mini-skirts with chain belts.
Even bondage straps featured, binding arms to bodies or encircling leather mini-dresses.
After a week of rich-woman dressing, it was refreshing to find something so aggressively urban.
How ironic that it should come from a couture house.