Rabanne’s 1966 debut collection, ‘12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials’, featured a radical construction technique – rhodoid discs connected with metal rings. Paralleling this penchant for experimentation, Arora utilised a digital 3D body scanning process to recreate the rhodoid disc method, but in sharper, highly structured silhouettes. Despite the adapted approach, these reimagined garments dripped with muted memory – a rather juxtapository way to describe such futuristic visuals.

Murky nebula hues – vermilion, midnight blue, and emerald – lingered alongside iridescent finishes, solidifying the hypnotic connection to cosmic matter. Coiled structures and fibrous elements served as an ode to Rabanne’s ground-breaking experimentation with unconventional materials. These industrial structures felt reminiscent of the retrofuturistic adoption of astronaut suit designs and engineering; a potent sliver of Space Age DNA. A coif catsuit recalled chainmail battle attire, introducing an intrepid intergalactic warrior.

Ethereal echoes directed the surreal voyage, before an army of origami-esque creations seized the territory. Luminous architectural pleated structures invaded the runway – a breathtaking reference to Rabanne’s disposable paper dresses.

Colossal shapes announced the final act, as the enigmatic question of time reared its head. Paco Rabanne’s 60-year-old futurism retains contemporary fascination, still depicting an unfamiliar, unlived existence in a time within and beyond those original imaginings. The sheer ambition of the Space Age era is illuminated by the absence of predicted visual progression. Manish Arora’s archival translations signalled an impending wave of cautious curiosity for a rather capricious future.