NO TRIP TO Paris Fashion Week is complete with out a trip to at least one of Robert Forrest’s showrooms. A long time Mrs Burstein collaborator, Forrest does the talent spotting for us so it’s all there to see, feel and meet. As well as the divinely alluring Jenny Dyer, he had some lesser known labels nestled there together, for spring/summer 2008, in a room on the Rue de Rivoli that you couldn’t help but walk out of feeling that it was full of about-to-be-big news. Natasha Collis, granddaughter of Mrs B and daughter of Browns Brides’ Caroline Collis - greeted us at the door with an introduction to her gorgeous delicate jewellery - designed to be casual but boasting quite serious gems.

“I like people to collect it,” she says. “It’s elegant if you just wear one chain on its own but they look even better as you pile them up.” Next up is Guiliana Testino, sister of Mario and talent in her own right - she creates alpaca and silk dresses for winter and lighter crochet and chiffon multicoloured bikinis and dresses for summer - made deliciously weighty with matching seed pearls - that have a cult potential about them. Trained as an architect, Guiliana says her family all shares the same creative gene. “I have a brother in Paris who works with Mario, a sister in New York who is an interior designer, another sister in Peru who designs jewellery but also works with Mario - in fact we all do a bit - we’re his slaves!” Explaining that her photographer brother encouraged her to take up designing properly when the political situation in Peru prevented her from using her architecture training to its full potential, Juliana now sells in Barneys and Neiman Marcus and has the London scene in her sights…Another new name to drop is London scenester Charlotte Dellal who, far more than just another party girl to hang out with, is now making shoes that everybody’s going to want: vintage kimono silks tied across the toes, gorgeous raffia wedges and jewel-bright silk stilettos are the kind of pieces you’ll want to put in a glass case. “I’ve been wearing them all week and they’re really comfortable,” says Dellal. “Even though they’re so high.” Next in line are extraordinary creations spun together from vintage lace, suede gloves and lifeless pieces that Reem comes across in the Parisian flee markets - this unique label runs the gamut from wearable eccentricity to downright eye-popping, with some ravishing wisps of lacy babydolls in between. And it is Brazilian designer Adriana Barra who has the biggest star appeal in the room. Her maxi and mini dresses feature incredible prints - to wear them feels like stepping through the looking glass. With Miuccia Prada having OK-ed bold, fairytale prints for the new season, Barra - who redecorates her Sao Paulo shop every season to reflect the colours and illustrations of her latest collection - is definitely up for the position of new best friend. After Robert himself, that is.