Spotlight on Spring 2011 Runway: Ports 1961

As we turn the corner into the new year we have more to look forward to than resolutions and the start of a new decade: Spring/Summer 2011 fashion! This past September Mercedes Benz Fashion week showcased dozens of designers who previewed fresh looks for the new decade, the overall theme: less is more.

They say fashion is reflective of the times and in the middle of a recession, minimalistic attitudes have been adopted out of a past of excess. Sleek lines and bright accents off of clean pallates, S/S 2011 debuted to the masses making an impact through spots of color and billowy draped silhouettes.
 
Always a favorite in the media, Ports 1961 took a leap for spring as the design reigns switched with acclaimed Tia Cibani passing the torch to her older sister, Fiona. One of the most exciting parts of walking into the tent for Ports 1961's show is a feeling of knowing the essence of what will take place before the show begins; every last detail of the decor is in tune with the resulting theme. Recalling Ports's A/W 2010 show, the conveyer belt industrial feel from the runway set the stage for the audience before a model had even set foot on the runway in her helmut-style headgear. This season a clean airy room made fashion guests unsure of what would take place. In her debut collection, Fiona took us on a whirlwind journey through western Africa (think desert not jungle), immersing us in a sandstorm only to come out clean, crisp, and refreshed.

The collection included a polished palette of shell, chalk, jet black, and shiny iridescent fabrics paired alongside more vibrant amethyst and emeralds in shapes which cascaded down the windblown models. Utilizing drapes and flowy fabrics, the structure of the garment almost mimicked ripples of sand dunes or even their polar opposite: a vast body of water. With little accents besides a sparse bangle bracelet or neutral non-statement making shoes, Fiona let her collection speak for itself which resulted in a cohesive theme typically seen throughout the Ports 1961 label.

The resulting collection is more flattering to the average women than some of the previously showcased collections. Fall's chunky swearters were Nicole Richie-chic but can loose some translation to the Boston client. For spring, satins and cascades will accomodate almost any body type as they do not cling but highlight cuves in the right places.