That means safari suits in pastel linens. Black shifts trimmed with graphic prints that resemble elephant tusks. And some models' hair was wrapped in tight buns with popping plaids.

"We wanted to reference a modern and joyous Africa," Cibani said in a telephone interview from Xiamen, in southeast China.

This spring, expect to see more globally inspired clothing with influences from the Middle East, Africa and Asia effortlessly mixed in with traditional Western styles as designers like Carolina Herrera, Nicole Miller and Diane von Furstenberg offer ensembles that incorporate such references in a natural, not costumey, way.

Some designers adopted looser silhouettes with lots of draping, gathering and layers - they shook things up with muted tones and metallics - to resemble the more modest looks in other countries.

Food, fashion, even interior decorating have embraced the cultures of places once designated "Third World." It seems heightened this season, as awareness of all things green, as well as human rights issues, is on the front burner. Designers are traveling farther afield, not only to source fabrics, but to incorporate new silhouettes into their collections.

The mixed bag of inspiration brings us a brighter color palette and a spring without a dominant trend.

Long skirts are just as fashionable as minis. Jackets - whether shrunken or boxy - are in style, but a printed wrap draped over the shoulder works just as well. So does a large bag with a wooden clasp found only in northern Africa.

In her spring collection, Vera Wang created cloud formations on dresses, combining the printing technique with shapeless, straight frocks to give her pieces a worldly - some would even say frumpy - feel. Fabrics in Wang's collection of trousers, boy shorts and coats featured silk twills and wool gauzes made in Japan.

The New York fashion label Adam borrowed from Japanese influences as well, evidenced by blouses with kimono sleeves and knickers cinched with obi-style belts.

Prints on Philadelphia favorite Nicole Miller's collection of pea coats, trousers and hats were reminiscent of tapestries found in Peru.

Even wrap-dress queen von Furstenberg noted in her run-of-show booklet that her collection of swinging frocks was modeled after a style of dress native to tropical countries that contain volcanoes, such as Argentina and Ecuador.

Industry experts say the shift is a direct result of fashion's becoming repetitive in recent years as designers relied too heavily on all things old-school and preppy.

"The problem with continuously revisiting vintage is that it's up for grabs with everyone," said Bud Konheim, who handles the business end at Nicole Miller.

Kristina Haugland, assistant curator for the Philadelphia Museum of Art's department of textiles, says that the worldly view of fashion is by no means new.

People have modeled their attire after then-exotic places such as India, China and Japan since the 17th century, when the Americas started trading in earnest.

Designer Willi Smith pulled inspiration from Africa, and Yves St. Laurent based a collection on Russia, both in the late 1970s and early '80s.

During the Black Power movement, many looks were inspired by Africa, but politics - not fashion - was at the core.

"The difference," Haugland said, "is that now having something that's inspired by or part of another culture is a way to connect to those people rather than to capitalize on their foreignness."

Not to mention that people are traveling more often to destinations such as Dubai and Japan - which host Fashion Weeks of their own.

We are also in the midst of a backlash against all things luxe, said Marshal Cohen, fashion analyst for Long Island-based NPD market research. The super bling and lush furs of the last decade had led fashion to feel overdone and superficial. That, combined with the "green" factor, makes clothing modeled after styles indigenous to other countries seem more authentic.

Yet even with good intentions, designers' work may smack of colonialism if they are not careful, especially as runway models seem to be increasingly whiter and thinner.

Cibani of Ports 1961 said she makes an effort to include models of color in her show, even though her core customer tends to be a wealthy white woman. This spring, her show included a bevy of Asian, black and white models.

Cibani, 35, has a background as diverse as her clothing. Born in Libya, she grew up in Canada and eventually moved to China, where she focused on the Asian market for her company. Four years ago she became the lead designer for the line, bringing with her many more worldly inspirations.

"These influences are inevitable parts of my collection," Cibani said. "It seeps through my pores."

"It's all in how you approach it," she added. "I feel like if you want to respect what it is you are referencing, you will find a way to enhance it, not rob from it, chew it up and spit it out

elizabethwellington.