At the last round of fashion shows, Olivier Theyskens, creative director of Rochas, served up a surprise: he went all Edwardian on us. Really, truly, Edwardian, with right-down-to-the-floor skirts and up-to-the-neck tops. It was an undeniably exquisite collection, but though most proclaimed it to be a hit on both the style and fashion front, some detractors merely shook their heads and wondered who wanted to be reminded of a governess. Mary Poppins chic? Surely not.

I have my own, more logical theory: fashion is having a Julie Christie Moment (if it were a charity, this could be abbreviated to something catchy like "Juchrim"). I recognise the trend because I displayed the symptoms myself last year, when I took a picture of Ms Christie in the film Don't Look Now to the hairdresser and said: "Make me look like that". He refrained from the obvious comment and muttered nothing about achieving the impossible, but instead praised the fashion forwardness of my choice.