Transferring the skilful haute couture artisanry of draping into designs which can be worn everyday. That’s what inspired Brooklyn-based fashion designer Francesca Canepa to create her own label Port Zienna. Collection No.1 was launched in June 2017 and is already appearing on minimalist fashion lovers’ radars all over the world. Why? Just like her artistic role models Walter Gropius, Richard Serra or Troels Sandegård, Francesca not only aims for an aesthetic ideal, but also for an expression of power and strength. Which, in her case, should be reflected in the feelings of the women wearing her collection:

When you wear haute couture, you feel empowered and strong, and we believe a woman should feel like this everyday, in her everyday clothes. Additionally, our clothes are designed in New York but manufactured in my home country Peru’s countryside where we want to strengthen the communities by working sustainably with them.

Francesca is the right person to achieve that goal: Trained in Fashion Design and Pattern-making from Mod’Art International in Paris, as well as Fashion Marketing and Merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, she has gathered experience at fashion House Oscar de la Renta and created embroidery for the likes of Burberry, Tom Ford or Carolina Herrera.

What I love most about Collection No.1 is that it reveals the deep insight Francesca gained during her extensive career, while still offering a very refreshing new take on minimalism and the creation of clothing in general. I’m already looking forward to Port Zienna's Collection No.2.