Ford's pearls of the Orient

It really was the final curtain. Dressed in a red velvet tuxedo jacket, Tom Ford got a rapturous standing ovation at his final show for Yves Saint Laurent on Sunday night.

Saint Laurent himself never quite approved of the Texan-born designer stepping into his shoes when Gucci Group took control of the brand four years ago. Yet some of Yves' best friends defiantly appeared last night in support of Ford.

There was Bianca Jagger, resplendent in a YSL tuxedo embroidered in jet beads, as well as Diane von Furstenberg and model Verushka. Stella McCartney, who earlier dedicated her own show to Ford and Domenico de Sole, was there, alongside Alexander McQueen and Valentino.

So hyped up was the crowd that Ford could probably have sent bin bags down the catwalk to cries of "bravo". But he chose an oriental theme. With the grounds of the Musee Rodin bathed in red light, and paper lanterns adorning the ceiling, the scene was set for a feast of deluxe chinoiserie.

Delicate fitted jackets with Mao collars came in ruby red, emerald green and chocolate brown. Some had military pockets on the breast, others pagoda-style shoulders. They were worn with narrow pencil skirts, typical of the exaggerated hourglass shape that Ford has long explored. A leopardskin coat was slick and shiny as a lacquered box, while light danced off a black crocodile anorak with a mink-lined hood.

For the cocktail hour, dresses came with fan-shaped beading, or in devoré silk trimmed with mink at collar and hem. And for evening, embroidered, sequinned sheath dresses came in yellow or red, slashed to the thigh. The final exit was a black sequinned gown with a gold lotus blossom pattern, which had the crowd leaping to its feet in applause.

And then it was over, leaving Ford to ponder his future and the fashion industry to wonder what he will do next. Whether he will resurface on the catwalk soon, only he and his friend and mentor, Domenico de Sole, know.

It is widely thought that Stefano Pilati, currently Ford's second-in-command, will take over on 30 April when Ford's contract expires. Alexander McQueen was offered the job but turned it down. Other possibles are said to include Balenciaga's Nicholas Ghesquiere and Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf.

Yves Saint Laurent is one of the greatest designers alive, but Tom Ford stepped into his shoes with aplomb, making the label as hip again as it was in its heyday. Classics such as the crescent-shaped Mombassa bag, the leopard-print chiffon kaftan and the navy blue smoking jacket tied with a ribbon at the waist paid homage to Yves while still being unmistakably Ford.

But it isn't just Ford's handbags and gladrags that will be missed. It is his modern vision - his understanding of advertising, brand image and fashion's power to seduce.