LFW – Ports 1961 S/S2020

You always get a feeling when you suspect something is going to be a hit.  It’s almost like a real life spidey sense.  You know it when you hear the first few bars of a new song, and anyone who attended the Ports 1961 show at London Fashion Week should have left with their spidey senses tingling  like a buzzer.  The watchwords for the collection were: ease, flow, long, light, comfortable and beautiful.  Who doesn’t love that combination of adjectives for a hot summer’s day?

Countering the pervading notion that exposing as much skin as possible is the only way to keep cool in the summer, Ports instead went for long, flowing ensembles (that showed little to no skin whatsoever) in fabrics designed to catch the lightest breeze and circulate it around the body.  The Boho-chic, multi-layered dresses and skirts floated down the catwalk in a myriad of colours and patterns to suit all tastes.  This was sophistication with a deliberate and welcome quirky undercurrent to take the edge off the serious.  Floral, abstract and Zebra patterns were all represented with gusto and the multi-strapped, multi-coloured sandals completed the full summer vibe.

Even the accessories – like the pastel coloured chunky link chains or the miniature purses – painted all the right pictures.

The tailoring also had a ‘shift’ to it to match the rest of the collection.  The trousers were either pyjama-style, super loose legged or boot-cut with front slits revealing wildly contrasting linings to lengthen the delicious silhouettes.  The closest we got t0 exposed skin came with the mesh tops that crowned some of the slip dresses on display.  However, it would be a mistake to think that the lack of skin somehow compromised on the allure and sexiness that informs the bulk of purchasing decisions in luxury fashion.  One of the many benefits of using such delicate silk fabrics is that they’ll define your body as you walk and they catch the air.  You might even find yourself unconsciously breaking out into a sexy catwalk strut to amplify the feeling.  As the saying goes – it’s not just about what you look like, it’s also about how you feel.  It’s probably no coincidence that with the new artistic team of Karl Templer and Fabien Baron in place, Ports 1961 pitched this one perfectly.

For more on Ports 1961 click here.

To see extended highlights from the show visit our YouTube hub.