Anglo-Saxon women might have felt like the height of style in these French- influenced designs, but would they still impress in 2007?

Worn as a complete ensemble, they might resemble the robes of an obscure religious sect, but a few details are so bang on trend that one wonders if modern designers have resorted to grave-digging for inspiration.

The embellished trims prefigure Chanel’s Autumn/Winter 2007 couture collection, while the thin belt worn to create definition on a long linen dress is reminiscent of the waist cinching versions at Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior - both top French labels that continue to seduce British consumers.

The British have long been fascinated by French fashion, and by extension French women. One explanation for the longstanding love affair is that while we traditionally associate fashion with vanity, the French regard it as an important cultural expression.

It was in the17th century that France built its chic reputation and the periodical Mercure Galant pioneered the concept of fashion seasons. After 1660 female fashion in England was influenced strongly by extravagant French motifs such as wigs, decorative face patches, and excessive ribbons and lace; a look that peaked with Marie Antoinette in the late-18th century.

Charles II bought suits in Paris, despite having a London tailor. In the early 19th century British fashion magazines hired Paris correspondents to keep their readers abreast of the latest styles - such as voluminous leg-of-mutton sleeves.

Ironically, it was Lincolnshire-born Charles Worth who presided over France’s biggest contribution to the fashion world, and the one most idolised by British women - couture. Worth opened his glamorous fashion house in Paris in 1858, and founded the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Parisian couture gave us Chanel, Givenchy and Christian Dior's New Look in 1947, seen by British women as a beacon of luxury and glamour in a time of austerity. Today, Paris Fashion Week is still the most influential and directional event on the fashion calendar; and French labels such as Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent among the most desired designer labels.

Anglo-Saxon women might have ripped off their designs from the French - much as some of our high street chains do now -but the archaeologist Penelope Walton Rogers praises them as brilliant tailors who knew how to make a garment drape attractively. Who would have thought "That’s so mid-6th century AD" could be high praise?

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