Paris fashion weekYou might be sick of reading the fashion term "urban warrior" (we are), but the fact remains that, come winter, women are instinctively drawn to a way of dressing that's sleekly under the radar and yet slightly tough, practical, and protective. Certainly a commercially minded powerhouse like Barbara Bui knows this, and while her show today didn't break any new ground, she did a fine job of interpreting that tendency her way.

To start, there were voluminous, high-collared aviator coats—right on trend, pieced together in shearling, mohair, patent leather, puffed nylon, and bouclé—over slick, asparagus-skinny pants. From start to finish, the outerwear was what made the headlines here. There were great motorcycle jackets with zip-off fur hems that created a nice skirt effect. And Bui certainly saved the best for last in a series of tight-shouldered shearlings neatly delineated with bouclé bands and a cool, ombré metallic finish. But a girl, warrior or not, cannot live by coat alone. (Though a drop-dead chic one can score you a lot of mileage.) There was, curiously, an evening slant to much of Bui's indoors-wear. Maybe with a preponderance of black clothes, a leap to black-tie gear seems logical? Still, something like her great draped, buttery-looking leather tunic and pair of black pants might be almost as clever an investment.

Fashion Brand: Barbara Bui | www.barbarabui.com

Barbara Bui was born in 1957 in Paris, France, 1983, she opened the first store Kabuki, which entered the fashion industry.