Ports 1961 Fall 2009
Where & When: Thursday, February 19th at 3 p.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: The travel-themed Ports 1961 line always journeys to a different country for its shows; this season, it was to India, for the rich culture and creativity of the Mughai Dynasty. Instead of the Bollywood explosion of color and embellishment that you'd imagine, however, designer Tia Cibani used a light hand, starting with a beige palette accented with metallics before delving into gray, black, and finally bright red and magenta. She also played with transparent fabrics like organdy and heavier ones like brocade and burnout velvet. It was gorgeous and yet extremely wearable, with fitted sheath dresses, flattering peplum jackets, and asymmetrical evening dresses delicately draped like saris. After seeing so many shows that played it safe with dark colors, and, to the other extreme, some totally out-there creations, Ports 1961 struck a perfect balance with clothes that looked new and inspiring.
Standout Look: This was a gorgeous asymmetrical pleated mousseline coat, over a dress of the same fabric. I am normally not one for metallic fabrics, but this was light and delicate and sparkly, and I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
Bonus Points: The Bhangra band Red Baraat played live during the show, with relaxing music that made me feel like I was at my yoga class. Also, a special thank-you to the lovely people at Atelier PR, who gave me a seat for this show (which was definitely welcome after last season's debacle). A seat that was, I kid you not, two rows directly behind Anna Wintour!
Where to Buy: The just-opened Ports 1961 Boutique at 3 9th Avenue in the Meatpacking District. Shop online or find more stores at Ports 1961's website.

4 comments

Lila Delilah said...

You must have been sitting right infront of me because I was 2 rows behind the Vogue Mistress.

xo,
Lila

Cheryl said...

That's crazy--they must've seated a bunch of us bloggers together!

Lila Delilah said...

Wait, Were you with two guys? and then a girl came over?

(I just saw your picture and it happens that I was sitting in the same row.)

Cheryl said...

I was right behind the two guys and the girl. I have long blonde hair with bangs, and I was wearing a black jacket and a striped T-shirt. We were in the same row? You weren't the woman with the fabulous Goyard bag, were you? If so, sorry for not chatting with you--I was quite out of it yesterday, due to major Fashion Week fatigue!