Captivated by the allure of the desert landscapes and their mesmerizing effect on the human spirit, Fiona Cibani meditates on the rough poetry of these enchanting arid terrains, harnessing their delicate strength with Ports 1961’s Spring 2011 collection.
Drawing inspiration from the contrasts of jagged geometric forms against the sensuous curves of sand dunes, Fiona composes robust silhouettes that encompass delicate, fluid shapes in both draped and tailored pieces. Her innovative mirage – layering techniques produce a color degradé evocative of twilight desert skies, while artful embellishments suggest the fragile beauty of natural minerals. Iridescent crystals adorn evening wear, while luminescent granular film applied to fabric through heat treatment offers a modern interpretation of applique, further revealing the collection’s contemporary spirit.
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Ports 1961's Spring 2011
Colors recall the sweeping desert topography with muted day – time neautrals: Ivory, Shell and Rosette paired with dusty earth tones like Dune, Mica, Willow and Sahara. These in turn contrast with the dazzling gem like tones of Terracotta, Emerald, Sapphire and Amethyst to create an intense palette much like the desert itself: expansively neutral yet enlivened with seductive glimpses of lush oasis.
Ports 1961's Spring 2011
Ports 1961's Spring 2011
Ports 1961's Spring 2011
A variety of innovative treatments highlight the collection’s focus on luxurious texture: silks, cottons and linens rendered with a glowing sheen suggest glistening rocks after rainfall, while the dry and powdered surfaces of coated linens evoke dusty sand swept panoramas. Man – made fabrics are woven with irregular yarns to create textures and patterns that mimic desert sandstone and the brush strokes of the wind across the dunes. Abstract camouflage prints inspired by the rigid forms of Labradorite minerals are contrasted by soft organic lines, and digitally printed on silk satins and chiffons in rich neutrals and bold tonal palettes. In tactful supplement, ultra – fine sued brings a delicate touch, a dusty surface and soft drapability.
Enlivened with the spirit of Summer, knits are airy and lightweight with a sportif attitude. A unique bias yarn has been introduced, engineered as a ‘torqueing knit’ that once formed and washed produces a dynamic visible bias direction in shrugs and tops.
Inspired by delicate mirage abstractions and landscape in constant evolution, Fiona Cibani elegantly crafts a collection within a realm of harmonic contrasts. Shifting between the extreme heat of day and the crisp chill of night, the wispy softness of sand and the angularity of rock, Fiona finds a poetic balance, creating a collection that captures the magical allure of the desert while floating free in a realm of pure imagination.