PORTS 1961
Timestamp: Friday, September 7, 2007
Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
7:50AM Backstage at Ports 1961 with designer Tia Cabani.
Her Signature: designing “special daywear”
Although she’d most likely pulled an all-nighter, Tia looked fresh and glamorous, as only chic European women can. Said Tia, “It’s about an easy and polished look. My woman is global and eclectic. Some of my customers are in their mid-20s and some are 60+. My clothes appeal to a wide age range of women.”
Case in point: two staffers were wearing the identical gray Ports dress the morning of the show. One was 25, the other 47. Both looked equally fabulous as did twenty-something Ivanka Trump and Harper’s Bazaar Editor in Chief, Glenda Bailey, both sitting in the front row.
Tia’s trends: At Ports, the dress is moving closer to the body. She achieved this with more tucking and pleating which places more of an emphasis on the waist.
It’s in the details, at Ports, look for details on the decolte area, such as a large twisted fabric necklace.
8:05am: The News Backstage –
#1. AVEDA’s 3 steps to a greener fashion Week.
AVEDA came up with our favorite accessory of the week: an aluminum water bottle that resembles a fire extinguisher. The eco conscious beauty brand teamed with 6 designers who agreed to eliminate bottled water and fur – and to provide only organic, locally-sources food backstage at their shows.
It’s good to see that it’s becoming fashionable to want “to evoke a greener America”.
The Aveda bottle has advantage of keeping water cold much longer than the usual waste-producing water bottles.
New York Fashion Week is over, but we still have our aluminum bottle and will be traveling with it to LA Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios in Culver City in October.
#2. Hair hunks Frank Rizzieri [the key artist] and Kevin Ryan created an understated yet elegant low ponytail and added some extensions for fullness to go with Tia’s eclectic clothes and turbans.
Frank gave us a mini-lesson on how to wear a turban – frankly easier if you have short hair. Flatten hair with AVEDA ROOT CONTROL, put on a hair net and the turban over it. Done.
#3: MAC COSMETIC’S MINERALIZED MAKEUP: It’s the new miracle makeup must have, with reason. The powder gave the models’ faces sheen, dimension, and a beautifully polished appearance.
FUN FACT: It takes 3 days to make 1 batch in Italy. It’s baked for 24 hours, and cools for 2 and contains 30 minerals.
#4. Nail News: Nail tech, Roseann Singleton for CND used a gorgeous custom blended coco bronze that was made the day of the show. While it was a neutral, it had a little something extra, which went perfectly with the makeup.
9:30am: The Port 1961 Show
The theme: “Safiri” [definition] to set out on a journey; travel
In keeping with her “Safiri” theme, Tia took us on a very elegant safari in which you get to wear slouchy hats, glamorous turbans and peep toe patent leather wedges with a tiny heel. She’s a designer who appreciates and uses the finest fabrics available. Designs were at another level, leaving less skilled designers a few laps behind. Ports has that esoteric and individualistic element to it but at the same time it’s eminently wearable. The graphite coat and trousers are a wardrobe staple and in Tia’s able hands, tanks and dresses in gold and graphite metallics work for everyday. Her favorite look,
Supermodel Alek Wek’s 2nd exit, a kucha silk ombre dress with knotted sleeves accessorized with horsehair piped linen purse. Details such as the knotted sleeves, and softly rolled back waistbands added a touch of femininity and interest to these fussy and unfettered clothes. The word “graceful” best sums-up this collection.