The opening piece, a beige trench coat said it all – tiny covered buttons instead of the traditional big ones, the bodice was light-fitted but keeping a very structured look, the waist emphasized with a thin, almost non-existent belt and the skirt, an oversized A-line, giving the feeling of volume and freshness.

Pieters who graduated from the Royal Academy of Antwerp in 1999 trained under Martin Margiela and Christian Lacroix. Mixing the techniques that he learned from these two legendary houses, Pieters came out with a style of his own, a mix between soft and tailored silhouettes that is eye-catching and unique.

Building on that strength, the 10th collection from the Belgian-born designer is truly a 10, as he converged all the knowledge and experience he gained to create this collection that is innovative and buoyant.

His take on the three-piece suit is fresh, that consisted of a bolero jacket, an 18th century inspired corset and a bell-shaped skirt gives a nod to the tuxedo craze happening right now in Paris.

Using the 1930s dinner jacket and waistcoat as template, Pieters proposed an almost androgynous tuxedo jacket for women, yet had a very romantic feel because of the tuxedo blouse’s pleated front while the placket was accented with sheered tulle, creating volume.

Keeping a very tight collection that was also well edited, the less than 30 exits shown was more than enough for Bruno Pieters to make his statement for Spring / Summer 2006.