Ports 1961 – Fall 2009

February 22nd 2009

by Lily Stein

Lots of wonderful collections have been unveiled and shed the light for the new fashion trends for fall and winter of 2009 on New York Fashion Week.

We have seen some extremely new designs, designs that are in fashion now and are going to stay with us for at least one more season, and also we saw some tendencies which have made a huge comeback.

Fashion is a capricious lady and we often wonder why this or that style returns to us with a twist and why others that seemed to change the world some years ago have been completely forgotten.

You may ask why I’m talking about it now. The answer is simple. As the world changes our minds change as well or it can happen in a quite opposite way – first our minds change and then the world transforms.

As many diasporas forget about their traditions and tend to adapt new modern tendencies they can prefer innovative styles in clothes hiding those national items far into their wardrobes. Although some nations prefer to modify their garments instead of completely forgetting the styles their ancestors wore.

When I learned the fact Ports 1961 was going to look to India for inspiration for their Fall 2009 collection I wondered what it would look like: like an absolutely new view of Indian attires or something modified from traditional garments Indian women have been wearing for many centuries.

The collection was inspired by “the Mughal courts of India”, which meant the line would take on a rather formal, aristocratic vantage point.

And as soon as the first model made her way on the catwalk I immediately understood the designer has successfully reached her goal.

Rich Indian-inspired designs have impressed everyone at the presentation with brightness of hues, unusual styles and chic fabrics. Cibani has been able to show woman’s modesty and feeling of elegance characteristic to all Indian ladies.

Nothing was too much exposed but nevertheless the items looked sexy and hot as real women don’t need to show their body to look attractive.

Silk sari dresses came down the runway in long, short and sometimes lamé versions. Cibani added layers with cutaway vests done in ornate brocades, which, along with jacquards and tapestry tweeds in bold pinks, golds and smoky green, added a gilded quality to the collection.

The garments were very simple but nice to wear. Vivid colors make the woman more noticeable and attract plenty of attention to her while soft tones in garments create a pretty feminine and tender look.