Are female designers better equipped to dress women than men?

The creative process is a gender bender and that's just fine, writes Emma Jordan

Arguably one of the strongest designers in the world, Sarah Burton's latest collection for Alexander McQueen was a point of departure for the pretty blonde who worked alongside McQueen for 14 years, before stepping into the spotlight following his tragic death in 2010.

Burton has, for the past few seasons worked on a variation of a theme - at core it was a skater dress - a smart bodice- hugging knit with a waved skirt. Easy, feminine and smart, it did wonders for most figures and by proxy, the wearer's self-esteem.

Her latest AW2017 collection, shown in Paris this month, was a symphony of leather and knit with hand embroidery and fine metallic mesh. Burton presented a pagan warrior fearless in her omnipotent femininity.

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Karl Lagerfeld, on the other hand, sent his muse into space.

Creating a formidable set complete with a launching rocket, the Chanel-designer presented a collection of girls encased in heavy tweeds and metallic shearling, alongside softer silks and chiffons with an awkward astronaut print - this warrior is on the edge of the new frontier.

Intrinsically fashion is created by mining history, social and cultural trends. But what about the heart of the designer? When creating clothes, how much is created for the muse versus the real woman? And if it's the latter, are female designers naturally better equipped?

Suzaan Heyns thinks so.

The Johannesburg-based designer has been creating structured pieces since founding her label in 2008. She's worked through the warrior ideal, designing panelled leather dresses and concrete corsets, and today she's heavily focused on enabling brides to feel their best on their big day.

"When dealing with clients it's never just about the dress," she says.

"You really delve into the personality of the person, as the dress, and particularly a wedding dress becomes something that personifies the wearer.

"As a designer you may think a person looks fantastic in a certain silhouette, but she may not like it so you can't push her into it.

"You understand as a woman that there are all sorts of idiosyncrasies that we have about our bodies, and you tend to see your client for who they are.

"I think there's a greater depth of empathy; your body changes as you grow and as women designers we understand that what makes you feel sexy is not necessarily what is considered sexy."

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Malcolm Kluk disagrees.

"I was once told that men and women do design differently," he says.

"Apparently women have a better understanding of themselves, and design knowing what a woman's needs are.

"It's said that men impose their idea of what women should need, and that men, because of their impartiality, create or design more than women.

"I think the success of any designer is based on his or her understanding of the market and customer, and the creativity is to work within those restrictions.

"Vivienne Westwood could never be accused of holding back for practicality sake and Michael Kors couldn't be accused of pushing women to their limits with his rather conservative style - his marketing campaigns revolve around a woman's lifestyle, albeit aspirational.

"As a designer I think we need to consider everything from body shape, to lifestyle, to specific customers' needs, to pushing her from her comfort zone within reason, to finding evolution in design through creativity.

"Design is problem solving and no designer can afford to be one-dimensional."

Marianne Fassler agrees with Kluk, saying the premise of difference is a "cliche".

She posits that each designer is different, and has an individual aesthetic and creative process. To try to box something so nuanced is naïve.

"When people say men don't design clothes women wear I think about Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino," she says.

"I also remember the first time I saw Donna Karan's clothes and realised this is a woman who understands what women want to wear. But, you can say the same for Belgian designer Dries van Noten."

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"Good fashion makes magic," she continues.

"When a dress finds a body, or when a woman's self-confidence becomes a tool then it doesn't matter whether it's a man or a woman behind the creative process."

• This article was originally published in The Times.