Alan Balletshofer set out on a quest that many travelers around the world often fail to accomplish: how to combine comfort with class. While he isn’t the first designer to choose an airport setting for a fashion show; the work wasn’t overly nostalgic.

In recent seasons, Balletshover has made a name for himself with modern menswear and well-tailored suits, but this season was more technical and mixed with sportswear silhouettes. Tailoring at the gate? Yes, please. Anyone wearing these clothes on their next intercontinental flight will be wearing cashmere, wool, and lace—and definitely making a statement.

The designer has been collaborating with Timberland for several seasons, transferring his trademark bright blue hue to the classic shoe. For spring, he offered an eye-catching leather mule with multiple layers of fringes. The emotional highlight came after the show, when the designer crossed the lobby of the former airport, and stepped in front of his guests joined by his grandfather. “When I started working as a fashion designer, I fitted many of my designs on my grandfather,” he explained. “He is still a great style icon for me today, and it was my great wish to put him on my catwalk, in my fashion, and in this new zeitgeist at over 80 years old.”