You couldn't move this season for the amount of designers that sent trouser suits down the runway. Whether they came in a barrage of eye-popping prints, heavy with embellishment or sleekly tailored, the authoritative two-piece is one of autumn's most powerful trends. Those who require convincing, having lived through the '80s power suit disaster, need not worry, there are plenty of options for everyone. The brave should look to Miu Miu or Prada for deliciously unsubtle ensembles: at Prada, intense '60s patterns came with enormous gems down lapels and cropped trousers. And Miu Miu had glossy jewel-coloured suits with high-waisted and belted trousers that were borrowed from the boys. Stella McCartney created a midnight blue suit that was embroidered with flowers, and Dries Van Noten artfully used hot orange kimono fabric, sliced into a pure white jacket. Louis Vuitton's girls stepped off a giant steam train in all manner of suits that were bejewelled, flared at the ankles and wrists and featured giant flower buttons. Classics came from Jason Wu, who created a rich blue velvet version, and Ohne Titel, who played with clever contouring to flatter the figure. Paul Smith belted grey checked wool and added matching gloves - a key tip for nailing this trend. It's a gutsy matching of suit jackets and trousers in bold fabrics that updates this boardroom essential, turning it into a fashion forward look.

The humble jumper, that most trusty of staples to help battle through winter, is no longer just a jumper - it is a statement piece. No, jumpers never really do dip out of fashion, but this autumn/winter 2012 they're having a moment. Tactility and playing with pattern and print is key, with chunkier yarns and fabric mixes everywhere. At Kenzo, the house's tiger motif was plucked from the archives and re-worked across bold grass-green and mustard knits. Altuzarra opted for animal prints in graphic beige and black, as Suno knitted a landscape panel of rolling hills and wintry trees. Christopher Kane's offerings were experimental, woven with thick wire. Rochas' boxy V-neck jumpers were belted and teamed with matching skirts, while Maison Martin Margiela pulled soft polo necks high over the face so eyes peeked out over the top. Jumpers at Chloé were oversized and patch-worked with every rainbow yarn available. Vivienne Westwood also took to the loom to produce plenty of colour with a zig-zag patterned jumper in faded pink, red, brown and dusty olive greens that hung low over the hips. Little else is needed to make you stand out this season, and not only will you be earning extra style points (and be set for Christmas pullover parties) but you'll be snug when the cold hits. Comfort and style, thank you autumn/winter 2012.

This time last year, thanks to the fetish trend, everyone was psyching themselves up to strap into a harness, reconsidering bondage-inspired leatherwear for any occasion. But for autumn/winter 2012, leather has evolved. It is still dark, gothic and slick, but the kinky, Miss Whiplash feel has subdued - making way for texture and experimentation. Alexander Wang manipulated the fabric with coats appearing as though the leather had been shrink-wrapped or corrugated. At Proenza Schouler, asymmetric jackets and skirts were made in perforated, quilted and latticed leather. Elsewhere, smooth panels made up an austere-yet-feminine dress at Calvin Klein Collection, and Hermès went for long, clean dresses that skimmed the tops of leather boots. Theyskens' Theory created a vamped-up jumpsuit worthy of Cat Woman, while Diesel Black Gold offered baggy leather trousers, slung low (a key shape for the season). Valentino took the idea of native costumes, creating traditional folk dresses and capes, made modern with leather. Riccardo Tisci's oil slick dresses at Givenchy nodded to the material's sexiness and, taking a cue from his show's make-up, a hit of deep plum lipstick finishes a leather look perfectly.