"We're not doing any interviews!" snapped the PR woman guarding Lindsay Lohan. Still, the mad crush of photographers, camera crews and reporters refused to go away until the security heavies shooed them from the weary, now raven-haired starlet. The manner in which this beleaguered tabloid princess subjected herself to the media spotlight at the fall collections this past week-especially in an arena that can be such a snake pit- made for great side-show entertainment. Last season, Lohan garnered a collective "Boo" when she was enigmatically named creative director of the illustrious, yet ailing, house of Ungaro.  This season, the actress was abruptly dropped by the label, but came to Paris anyway, sitting front row centre at every show she could with a kind of gleeful vengeance, obviously adamant about being seen, staking her claim in the fashion world, and taking in as much as possible. 

While it's hard to imagine what exactly does motivate Lindsay Lohan, the 23 yr. old actress's unabashed zeal for fashion is something many of us can relate to. Like Lohan, we tend to want it all.  And judging by these fall offerings in the City of Light, we're being encouraged to shop for it all: From sleek, modern minimalism to lush, layered exuberance, both sides of our style coin are being catered to.  "And why not?" asks The Bay's fashion director Suzanne Timmins.  "As women, we have different moods that dictate the way we choose to dress." 

Those craving a grand, retro feel, can depend on Dior.  Riffing on his "Equestrian Chic" couture theme, John Galliano dished out libertine romance with pieces that ran the gamut from frothy boudoir-inspired confections and slouchy jodhpurs to cozy, luxurious coats, riding jackets, and thigh-high boots. For his eponymous collection, Galliano took us on a nomadic journey. Heralded by a blast of glittering confetti, models in elaborate bronzed makeup and outlandishly sculpted hair trekked through a theatrical collection filled with extreme shapes, and plenty of fur and feathers.  There was a definite twist of folkloric fantasy here, but real delight was to be found in the way these potentially wearable pieces were mixed and layered.  Print chiffon skirts and dresses were teamed with big slouchy toppers.  Sleeves dripped with Mongolian lamb. "Do you see your Nomadic theme as a metaphor for the way we're living our lives?" I asked the designer backstage.  "Definitely. We're traveling so much these days, often wandering. and always searching," the designer mused. 

Jean Paul Gaultier celebrated the traveler in us with a multi-cultural salute to exotica. His catwalk conjured visions of an ethnic bazaar, featuring signature Gaultier trench coats and classic pea jackets thrown over Chinese silk prints and colourful pleated peasant skirts. Canada's Coco Rocha was stellar in a slinky oriental frock topped with a little brown mink jacket, a wacky print turban atop her head. Indeed, Stephen Jones' outrageous hats often served as crowning glories to these sumptuous get-ups in an eclectic collection that was unapologetically Gaultier at his irreverent, well-traveled best.  Gaultier, who'll be honoured with a retrospective at Montreal's Musee des Beaux-Arts in Montreal in June 2011, was especially proud of the dual nature of some of these garments, pointing out the versatility of many of these show-stopping pieces.

For Hermes, Gaultier pared things down considerably, and seduced us with a Secret Agent theme.  Inspired by characters like James Bond, and The Avengers' Emma Peel, Gaultier devised some powerful looks. Strong women in bowlers and top hats streamed out of a giant tunnel that looked like something out of Clockwork Orange.  Sporting smartly tailored leather trenches, slick suits, and even a smattering of animal print, these Hermes heroines looked like seriously sexy bankers who meant business. Lily Cole, deluxe and dangerous in a skin-tight black leather cat suit, closed the show. 

Theatricality took precedence at Viktor and Rolf.  Iconic early '90s model Kristen McMenamy stood frozen on a revolving turntable in the middle of the huge runway as the Dutch designers undressed her layer by layer, placing each garment on a mobile model, who would then strut it down the catwalk.  The majority of black and white garments were rather grand and bulky, but magically morphed into different looks-like a cape turning into a coat-with the aid of zippers and drawstrings. "We wanted to explore the idea of transformation," Viktor Horsting explained backstage.

One of the most spectacular shows of the week was staged at the Grand Palais, courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. We were taken on a stylish Arctic expedition, complete with frozen icebergs, imported from Sweden. With his finger forever on the pulse of the here and now, Lagerfeld must have felt these frigid European temperatures coming, and dreamed up one of the most dramatically cozy collections imaginable. Fur-trimmed tweed suits and coats, sparkling knit dresses-some in luscious angora-gargantuan Yeti boots, furry pants and shorts and mammoth shaggy coats sashayed across the shiny wet stage in a splashy manner that was at once savage and chic. But while real fur was flying on most runways, Karl went the PC route for this one.  "The faux furs are so much better now than they were a few years ago," he reasoned. Lagerfeld's own collection, shown two days earlier, was much more streamlined.  Black and white was the order of the day, with edgy skin-tight patent leather pants worn under knee-length patent pencil skirts, or draped with flowing chiffon.  Scuba-style jackets featured shiny leather inserts and assorted folds.

One of the season's biggest stories is the minimalist resurgence-a backlash to the excessive '80s looks that have been so exploited these past few seasons. This sleek modernity came on especially strong at Celine, where designer Phoebe Philo's clean, sharp lines translated into chic, no-nonsense dressing.  Meanwhile, Stella McCartney's take on this New Age sophistication-a stab at stability perhaps-presented at the grand old Opera Garnier, impressed all of us who yearn for those pieces that will have longevity and jive with our hectic lifestyle.  Stella's subtle architectural approach gave new "wow" to grey and camel cashmere.  For evening, she proposed understated organza trains, flowing from above-the-knee dresses, many decorated with pailettes. Front row guests included Maria Shriver and daughter Christina Schwarzenegger, attending their first Paris fashion show ever;  the legendary Twiggy, who's launching a new line on the Home Shopping Network in the US; British actress Thandie Newton; and Stella's ever-supportive dad, Paul, accompanied by his girlfriend, Nancy Shevell.  The former Beatle told me his daughter had to remind him that the Opera Garnier was the first venue she ever presented in when she first took the creative reigns at Chloe, thirteen years ago.  Since then, Stella's grown to become one of fashion's most appreciated designers, giving real women exactly what they need. 

Yves St. Laurent's longtime partner, Pierre Berge, was on hand for the Givenchy show,  and afterwards, insisted that the house's Riccardo Tisci is the best designer working in Paris today.  Berge and the rest of the fashion pack were taken with Tisci's cool riff on sporty elegance.  Body-conscious knits with a Nordic motif, in black, grey, white, and shots of red, were given an unusual twist when teamed with little skirts wrapped around the midriff, and peeled back, with open flaps. Glam zippered parkas punched up the themes of practicality, ease, and coziness that ran through so many of the week's collections. 

But the femme fatale in us wasn't forgotten either.  Both Valentino and Giambattista Valli concocted striking collections that were uber feminine.  Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli doled out a modern take on classic Valentino looks, with strong daywear, some in techno fabrics. Large black leather ruffles spilling down a cashmere coat looked powerful but never hard. And it was that kind of attitude that Valli wanted to play to as well.  Always the artist, he juxtaposed textures, from fur to shredded chiffon to ruffled tulle, punching up the charm with beautiful beading.  Front row guest Brook Shields was duly enraptured. 

But when it came to unbridled retro romance, nobody did it better than Louis Vuitton's Marc Jacobs.  Staged around a giant fountain, enclosed in a transparent tent in a courtyard of the Louvre, Marc dressed his elegant ladies, including iconic womanly models like Elle Macpherson and Laetitia Casta, in creations reminiscent of Dior's 1947 "New Look"-with nipped-waists, and full skirts worn past the knee. 

Shoes had high, chunky heels, but gone were the clunky platforms. Flat bows graced pointy toes, and plunging necklines celebrated  décolleté, as the wholesome sensuality of the early '50s made a welcome return in a Paris season full of intrigue, inspiration, and enough disparate options to satisfy all our myriad facets. I would have liked to hear what Lindsay thought.  But then again, she wasn't talking.

Come back tomorrow for my Trends of Fall 2010 list!