Ports was founded in 1961, by Luke Tanabe, a Canadian entrepreneur. The company began as a business that imported silk from Japan, but gradually evolved to become an upscale women’s clothier with a reputation of making well-crafted garments.

In 2004, Ports relocated its design office to New York City and launched its men and ladies’ ready-to-wear collection. The new decade of the 2010s saw further changes once again including a relocation of ports 1961 design office to Milan.

at the moment Natasa Cagalj is womens wear designer of Ports. She graduated from the Central Saint Martins MA program in 1997, under the late Professor Louise Wilson. Straight after graduation she started working as the creative director of Cerruti Arte in Paris.  In 2001 Alber Elbaz  invited her to join him at Lanvin as his right hand designer. In 2005 she was appointed as Head of Design at Stella McCartney in London where she remained until 2012. Before she started as creative director at Ports 1961 she worked as a freelance consultant for several years. Natasa and the Ports 1961 womenswear design team are based in a newly opened 500sqm lofty London, Clerkenwell design studio.

Photograph of moodboard, ports 1961 presentation backstage spring summer 2017, is made by Jason Lloyd-Evans