Ports is moving to Milan. The label has been showing menswear in the city where its clothes are made for seasons now, and for Spring, its womenswear will follow suit. A few girls wearing Ports' Resort collection joined the ragazzi on the runway to give a preview. Backstage, Fiona Cibani was enthusing about her decision to head for Italy. It was even reflected in the theme of the collection, the secret garden. Milan is famous for the beauty hidden behind its gray walls. The print she created with a local Milanese artist, an abstracted floral, was the most literal example. But the brilliantly colored collection, with passages of goldenrod, petal pink, celadon, and purple, all kept up the blooming theme. "Spring is definitely about color, and the energy that color brings," her menswear designer, Ian Hylton, added.
Between the colors selected and the emphasis on trapeze shapes, with high-closing smock tops and oversized cabans, the collection sometimes felt too feminine for the tailored look Ports has been favoring since its reboot. Fabrics like shantung and silk/nylon didn't help. But the fact that Milan is an old boys' club for suiting doesn't mean all of its suits need to be for old boys. Will the Ports man wear saffron shantung single-breasted? "In part or in whole," said Hylton confidently. "The Ports man has evolved." How far is debatable, but the craft in this accomplished collection isn't.
