(ANSA) - Paris, March 3 - Riccardo Tisci embraced a new brand of elegance for Givenchy Sunday in Paris.

The Givenchy fall 2014 collection that hit the catwalk at the Paris shows was very French "bon chic bon genre" yet with a sexy, mocking attitude only a designer who has staked his career on challenging the status quo could make so refreshing.

The man who created the designer sweatshirt - and transformed it into a cult - this time turned his gaze from street style to bon ton with super feminine dresses just sheer enough to get a glimpse of a bra underneath in a variety of prints going from soft patterns in fall off-shades of green and brown to bolder animal-print motifs.

Tisci's take on elegance was laced with plenty of sexy innuendos.

Yet for each ruched dress and sheer blouse was also a masculine suit, the superb and austere tailoring taking elegance to new lengths with an appealing take on the women-wear-men's wear trend.

Tisci's high-waist pants had the same Bauhaus motif as the pockets seen in his men's wear last month, worn under short, oversized jackets - the boxy silhouettes of jackets a recurrent motif of collections debuted in Paris over the past few days.

There were also touches of fur, also a fashion must both in the street and on catwalks with virtuoso peaks on Friday in the collection presented by France's Isabel Marant, one of the designers who best knows how to create a fashion "must have".

Fur featured in Givenchy coats, including a pink fox number, as well as eveningwear.

And Italy's Ter et Bantine label designed by Manuela Arcari also vied to achieve a new take on elegance, with a strong romantic collection which had its debut Sunday in Paris.

Black was the shade of choice for clothes that had a unique take on feminine grace - with an austere touch.

Restrained elegance was the mood of an embossed coat, lined in white, or a soft A-line dress.

Jackets and coats were discreetly lined in Mongolia fur with an oversized coat sporting satin armholes enveloping the body.

Furs were designed like long cardigans in a collection featuring both oversized and slim silhouettes in sophisticated black-on-black motifs.

The black theme was broken just on a couple of occasions with brown tweed jackets which maintained the austerely elegant mood.

Eveningwear vied to strike the same chord of understated elegance - with a quirk. Tuxedo pants had a mink waistband for added impact while a velvet mermaid dress shimmered with beads.