Young Paris-born, American-raised designer, Joseph Altuzarra may have been garnering mounting hype ever since women like Carine Roitfeld and Vanessa Traina have been photographed in his elegant designs but for once it seems warranted.  For S/S 10 (and only his third showing), he took a swerve away from the ruching and the 40s and 50s silhouettes of last season to a more 70s feel, with apron dresses, ponchos and stencilled trousers, in a refreshing mix of brown suede, shimmering latticework and white broderie anglaise. The sexy, ultrafeminine element that his women love was present and correct in the transparent, undone blouses and the subtle twist on lingerie, demonstrated best by the flowing, sheer white dress worn by Karlie Kloss. This season, he may have taken scissors to fabrics, cutting it up and patchworking it back together again but the end results were nothing short of beguiling and seductive.

Dazed Digital: I got a feel of patchwork with this collection?
Joseph Altuzarra: Yeah absolutely. My inspiration this season was the movie Emmanuelle, more the sensation of it and also this nostalgia. And with the colours, the idea was to do something a little less monotone. It had a lightness and different depth to different parts of it I think.

DD: How did you manage with the hype of last season?
Joseph Altuzarra: I think you have to do what you feel you should do. But at the same time, it’s important to listen to what people think. It’s not an individual effort in a lot of ways. You have to listen to what they’re feeling and what you’re feeling. One person can’t always be right.

DD: Seeing a woman like Carine Roitfeld wear your designs – how does she embody the woman you want to dress?
Joseph Altuzarra: She is incredibly confident and a strong woman. I like that she is in this position of power but also she has this femininity and a quiet strength about her.

DD: What is luxury for a young designer?
Joseph Altuzarra: For me it’s being able to work really hard – it’s about being able to do what I do and being a perfectionist.

DD: And if you could isolate an emotion for this season what would that be?
Joseph Altuzarra: There was an innocence and also a nostalgia about it – that time when it’s raining and you’re sitting inside, thinking about lost times.