The Hakaan show wasn’t mentioned on the official Paris schedule, but it still attracted what seemed like every industry heavyweight, including Naomi Campbell and Eva Herzigova beaming from the front row. And yet this was déjà vu for the 37-year-old, Turkish-born designer, whose supermodel-filled show last season in London brought out the likes of Carine Roitfeld and Kate Moss. Between the two shows, Hakaan was awarded the much-coveted €220,000 ANDAM prize, causing a minor controversy at the time, as some jurors felt that Roitfeld, ANDAM’s president, had been too favorable to him and perhaps too involved in the selection process.

Well, it’s safe to say Hakaan’s Paris debut for spring had a distinctly French Vogue vibe, complete with the magazine’s favorite girls on the runway—Isabeli, Anja, Natalia, Mariacarla—and the kind of sharp, sexy, Alaia-meets-Givenchy clothes that define its fashion pages and its editors’ wardrobes. But while Hakaan’s monochromatic tailoring, form-fitting jumpsuits and cutout mini-dresses worn with lace-up, high-heeled sandals didn’t exactly break new ground, the designer showed an undeniable flair for cut and proportion.