Paris looks east on Monday with Sacai and Rokh

One looked east on Monday in Paris with two powerful statements from the much-admired brands Sacai and Rokh, one from Japan's Chitose Abe and the other from Korea's Rok Hwang.

Sacai: Under investigation

You almost felt accused of a crime sitting at the Sacai show, where a wall of neon lights forced the entire audience to squint. Was a detective about to show up to question us?

The light was so intensely irritating that the accusation must have been serious: not simple shoplifting, but rather mistreatment of a horse. Packed into the Gare Air France, a former large airline bus station, arranged in a narrow maze, under hot lights, this was the worst show set so far this season in Paris.

The collection itself had certain moments of beauty, but the overall feeling was that of seeing too many of designer Chitose Abe's old tricks at Sacai, albeit presented in much larger proportions. Make the proportions too large.

What worked was the combination of nylon bomber jackets, pea coats and matelassé tudor capes; and ribbed cable knits with open shoulders and sleeves that began at the elbow.

However, the scruffy woven fishing nets and often absurd shag rugs were downright hideous. It's incomprehensible why dozens of designers in North America and Europe this season think shag wool is cool, or that mop-style fabrics are in.

For evening, Abe sent out some attractive navy coats with mesh waistbands and gathered bottom halves that had real power. They almost saved this collection, but not quite.

Abe's influence on fashion trends over the last half-decade has been enormous, and his ideas of composed couture or chic assembly are vital. But every designer has a season in which he is a few points away from his best level. This was one of today's in Scaai.

Rokh: Renaissance romanticism

A contemporary vision of the meeting between the High Renaissance and hipster Romanticism in an excellent collection from the Rokh house.

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Hosted inside the Mona Bismarck Hotel on the banks of the Seine, where a tapestry of a beautiful angel ascending to heaven greeted guests. Most designers would have taken the image from a famous old master, not Rok Hwang, who worked with graphic artists to imagine his own version of the sexy seraph.

Who then flew off in the most wonderful mesh dress, finished off halfway with a tapestry of another romantic hero.

Although the show began with a quintet of excellent dresses and skirt and blazer combinations: bright ensembles or juxtapositions of strict messy jackets with wide shoulders; taught technology experts; spicy lingerie; knitted sashes; lace petticoat; and crisp wool pleat. All of them with a very clever draping. Rokh's clothes are not the easiest to wear, but if you are confident in yourself, you can look stunning.

Her polyglot co-ed cast was beautifully prepared: her locks styled and jellied into curly locks on her forehead, her eye shadow earthy, her lips painted. Somewhere between a courtesan and a femme fatale in a court suddenly overrun by a cool 21st century youth cult.

Before the whole concept was completely revved up with a ghostly tapestry dress, a dying Greek heroine in a field of spring flowers.

Rokh's only denim look (a cropped denim jacket separated and stitched over mesh, and paired with a wickedly twisted draped skirt) was sensational. Aside from blind people, who wouldn't want to meet a girl dressed like that?

In an elegant touch, a master pianist played classical music at the entrance, while the soundtrack included a Rachmaninoff piano concerto. Another elegant gesture, since the Sergei Rachmaninoff Conservatory is located on the next block.

There is not a huge crowd for this show, there are as many people outside as inside, beneath the golden frescoes and grand halls. But you couldn't help but notice how many French women there were in the audience. And if the French know a lot about something, it's fashion.

In short, given the complexity of his designs, Rok Hwang can be an erratic designer. But when he gets it right, like he did this season, he ranks among the Gotha of modern creators.