Choice – it could be the mantra of our times. Politicians assume that it’s what we want, and if the international catwalks are anything to go by, designers agree. Once the industry limited its offerings to just a few key looks, and if you didn’t like them, or they didn’t suit you, tough. How quaint that now seems.

Today, brands bend over backwards to entice us with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of trends and eye-catching products, and it all starts with their catwalk shows. Sure, fashion can emerge from anywhere, including the street, music or celebrities, but the catwalk is still the most concentrated outpouring of new ideas.

For spring/summer 2008, there is a plethora of looks, attitudes, scenes and aspirations to buy into. Jumpsuits, bra tops, bold florals, chic toga dresses and that symbol of revisionist femininity, the dirndl skirt, happily coexist with aggressively deconstructed tutus, paint-splattered party dresses, distressed denim, tie-dye tops and dhoti pants. It’s not about one or two key trends, but lots.

If you don’t like Stella McCartney’s all-in-ones, then a pair of Dolce & Gabbana bell-bottoms might please you more. Similarly, if a Diane von Furstenberg disco maxidress is too much, then Lanvin’s flowing silk gowns offer an understated alternative. Even within key trends, there are decisions to be made. Love the new acid florals at Balenciaga, but don’t think you can pull off a catwalk look? Opt instead for one of the brand’s cute T-shirts or new flower-print bags.

It may sound overwhelming, but the underlying message is positive. Be who you want to be. Wear what you like. Adapt the trends to suit yourself. Shop smart.

Despite the variety of looks, strong themes have emerged. The catwalks were full of light, loose and very pretty clothes created with consummate skill by the likes of Albert Elbaz at Lanvin, Olivier Theyskens at Nina Ricci, Dolce & Gabbana and Stella McCartney. These designers focused on easy, ungimmicky femininity and excelled at producing gorgeous clothes that will speak directly to the customer.

Balenciaga’s acid florals put an utterly modern spin on flower prints. Nicolas Ghesquière was at his most technically audacious when he took 1950s prints from the archive, recoloured them in acid shades, backed the resulting silk onto foam and used it to mould and shape his collection.

And if you like your prettiness with a twist, then look at Prada, which produced one of the most provocative collections of the season. At first, the fairy-tale dresses, in semi-sheer organza and decorated with drawings of art-nouveau-style nymphs, looked like an ode to the floaty prettiness of the season. But Prada was exploring the dark side of Wonderland. Those nymphs were sexy, not cartoon cute. And on dresses, neat rows of buttons veered off violently to one side. The result – an unsettling jolt – has become a Prada trademark.

Another designer who consistently challenges convention is Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons. What to make of the inspired randomness of her show, where half a flouncy pink tutu was fused with a formal grey flannel skirt and worn with a reflector-print waistcoat and fishnet sandals? It was like a fashion version of chaos theory, and the madness was catching. The most chaotic and brilliant of all was the London-based maverick customisation artist Noki, who offered an outfit that was part knackered vintage Disney T-shirt, part 1980s satin ball gown. To add to the puzzlement, it is a one-off piece and can’t be mass produced – a radical statement indeed in a fashion world dominated by big brands.

Noki and Comme des Garçons head up the fashion antiestablishment, but even mainstream names, such as Marc Jacobs, embraced the bonkers. He showed shoes that were deliberately made to look too small for the wearer on his New York runway; and for Louis Vuitton, he chopped the back out of an outfit to reveal the model’s knickers and made skirts from random pieces of floral chiffon trimmed with Day-Glo yellow tweed. It’s difficult to imagine what the typical glossy Louis Vuitton customer will make of these madcap clothes, but maybe that’s not the point.

Jacobs extended his chaos-theory approach to bags and shoes and came up with a blinding collection of accessories. Monogrammed bags were daubed with spray paint and random text by the artist Richard Prince, and pony-skin holdalls were etched with saucy prints. The must-have shoes were a sexy stiletto – the kind that puts a wiggle in your walk – in an eye-popping array of colours. The novelty and freshness of these accessories is exactly what drives customers to the stores in droves. So there is method in fashion madness.

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