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For the Spring 2009 runway collections this September and October, designers in New York, Paris and Milan looked both forward and backward in time for inspiration. The 1980s were a common cultural touchstone, but nearly every decade since the 1920s was represented on the runway, albeit updated for the modern woman.

There were futurist designs, too. Designers such as Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga's Nicolas Ghesquière featured avant-garde structuring, innovative textiles and new silhouettes for tomorrow's wardrobes.