The bigger the bow the better

"We believe that in order to be able to communicate, you need to speak a common language. For us, this language in fashion consists of the standards: le smoking, little black dress, trench... Alienation of their appearance by exaggerating either form or dimension gives us the chance to communicate our concept in a way that is comprehensible for everyone. We used a lot of bows because, for us, that is a classical reference to women's wear."

So state Viktor & Rolf. And while it has indeed always been their signature to work with fashion prototypes and adapt or even pervert them in their own inimitable way, they are not alone in so doing. And so the tuxedo (or le smoking) regularly turns up everywhere from Yves Saint Laurent (well, it would do, wouldn't it?) to Veronique Branquinho, and from Ann Demeulemeester to Yohji Yamamoto.

The little black dress is a staple at Chanel (but, of course!) and also at Lanvin, Louis Vuitton and Hussein Chalayan. The trench coat, meanwhile, is seen everywhere including Burberry and Aquascutum (both claim to have invented the garment, incidentally), Junya Watanabe, Hermes, Maison Martin Margiela... The list goes on. And each designer imposes his or her personality on such iconic clothing in as discreet or as overblown a way as they choose.

There are few more classic couture references than the bow, however, and although it has always been associated with Hubert de Givenchy - since his retirement, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Julien Macdonald have all ensured that the bow had a place during their tenures at the house - it is also one that Viktor & Rolf have made their own.

In these fiercely modern designers' hands, that quintessential symbol of the haute bourgeoise, the pussy-bow, has appeared at the front, and indeed back,of blouses; delicate rows of satin bows have embellished ultra-feminine tailoring; and this season's offering even featured a dress constructed entirely out of one huge, pink, sparkling bow. It makes the "choker" of oversized, cascading rosy ribbons featured herelook positively demure by comparison. Such things are relative, after all. The bow's couture heritage aside, the device, particularly crafted in this most feminine of colours, could also be said to sum up the spirit of the current season in a broader sense.

Spring/summer 2005 will go down in history as celebrating the fashion cliche in all its guises - nautical, anyone? - but particularly where the prevalence of sugar and spice and all things nice is concerned. With this in mind, Alexander McQueen cites girlish fragility and innocence as inspiration for his collection, with its sweet babydoll dresses and Edwardian merry-go-round embroideries; Stefano Pilati's debut at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche is a riot of cartoonishly feminine polka dots and frills; and Marc Jacobs' fondant-hued, slightly off prom dresses go to prove that Lolita lives and breathes - in chic Manhattan circles, at least.

And here's Jacobs describing his collection for Louis Vuitton, which, despite its grand Parisian history, is, this time round at least, equally young at heart: "I liked the idea of using sequins and sparkle but in a very naive way. We looked at pictures of circus girls, so it was very rich but quite theatrical, with lots of colour and print and very feminine shapes. I was drawn, in particular, to the cherry motif but to other things that are really quite cliched, too."

The influence that Jacobs' archetypally feminine pencil and circle skirts have had on the high street, not to mention the waiting list for the Louis Vuitton cherry-motif bags, suggest that he is not alone. Nothing, though, could be considered much more cliched than a larger-than-life pretty pink bow, particularly one designed, as this surely has been, to adorn the wearer's swan-like neck. And that is perhaps why very few women would ever dare - or, indeed, deign - to wear such a thing.

Unlike, say, Vivienne Westwood, Viktor & Rolf have not made a career out of mischievous feminist-baiting, but send this particular design out into real as opposed to fashion life, and, rest assured, the reaction will be extreme. Few would argue, however, that dressing up like the proverbial Christmas tree and/or chocolate box has ever looked so lovely. And the last word goes to Jacobs: "I have no problem with the word cliche," he says. "I think things become that way for a reason."

- INDEPENDENT