Julien Fournie who is a renowned French designer, staged his couture show in a church which hailed witches as proto-feminist trailblazers sending shivers through the patriarchy.

Fournie is one of the elite band of haute couture designers who are allowed to show their handmade creations in the French capital.

He named his collection"First Spell" by taking inspiration from witches who "knew how to control their destiny".

Women "can be beautiful at any age", he told AFP.

The flamboyant couturier who believes that women should learn to love their curves, and knows how to make the best of them, sent out a run of models of all ages and shapes in corsets, killer heels and hip-hugging skirts.

"I have always found witches stimulating," Fournie said.

Gothic noir

Fournie transformed a Protestant church in a chic street in central Paris into a catwalk, with fashionistas huddled on wooden pews.

They watched a mix of striking silhouettes and gothic noir, padded-shouldered military jackets paraded alongside billowing Edwardian skirts, with Fournie encouraging his models to flounce, twirl and show their personalities to the cameras.

The French creator's show came the day after female creators dominated the Paris catwalks.

As the spectacle drew to a close, paper snowflakes appeared to fall from the heavens as the designer emerged from backstage to dance with a woman in a corseted wedding dress.

The French creator's show came the day after female creators dominated the Paris catwalks, with Dior's staunchly feminist designer Maria Grazia Chiuri taking the bold step of ditching heels in favour of elasticated spartan sandals.

Fournie said fashion's feminism moment was no passing fad.

"We're living in a time of truth, of freedom, of 'Expose your pig'," he declared, slapping the wall for emphasis.

Agence France-Presse