Rocketing between past and future and retro and avant-garde, the latest collections played with contrast. For some designers, looking fashionably forward was centred on looking back, with nods to 16th-century royalty and Grecian-goddess gowns. Now fast-forward to where, in the case of designers such as Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana, the future of fashion was a literal one, with looks that mined a space-age vein: fembot fantasies, with astronaut-inflected fabrics and slicks of shine that took us through space and time.

Must-have: Structured silhouettes. Whether it’s a slick topper or a frilly frock, be sure to experiment with a strongly defined feminine shape.

Wear it now: The richness of gold, once reserved for evening, is now seasonless and perfect year-round. Linen/silk top, and silk/cotton skirt, approximately $1,300, Vera Wang. Necklace, Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection; shoes, Stuart Weitzman.