Flirty skirts are a cert

On the catwalk, it came sexed up with suspenders, tattoo-print stockings and a price tag in the hundreds as a highlight of Christian Dior's spring/summer 2004 collection.

At Marks & Spencer it is served up sweet and girly with bare legs, a curvy linen jacket and priced at just £45.

Whether it's high street or high-end luxury, the flirty skirt will be a must-have next season.

Dior's John Galliano paraded his versions at Paris Fashion Week, and designers from Stella McCartney to Tom Ford at Yves Saint Laurent have both endorsed the floaty-skirted look for next spring.

And thanks to Marks & Spencer's Per Una line, which launches its spring/summer collection today, it will be at a high street near you from next month.

Per Una is fast becoming the Marks & Spencer label for those with an eye for luxury - but without the clothing budget to match.

This season it has been about a fitted bouclé wool jacket, with a distinct feel of Chanel but a price tag of less than £70. For spring, those in the know will also have their eyes on a Twentiesinspired corsage dress

priced £45. And even these new Per Una images have an uncannily similar set and mood to the latest Christian Dior advertisements.

Since its launch in September 2001 Per Una has helped revitalise M&S clothing sales, which have increased by 2.5 per cent on last year.

The line is headed by George Davies, formerly of Next and Asda, a master at serving up catwalk trends in wearable, highstreetfriendly style.

Other highlights include Great Gatsbyinspired flapper dresses, bold floral prints and candy colours, sharp tailoring in dogtooth checks, cropped tie-dye jeans and nauticallyinspired-wide leg pants and cut-away sweaters.