There’s the Tibi fashion show on the runway, and the Tibi fashion show in the seats, where designer Amy Smilovic welcomes her customers and they come wearing their most beloved pieces from the brand. And not just ones that are in-season, but ones from all seasons, which says something about the enduring relevance of the clothing.
“If it wasn’t for them, there is no way I’d be doing shows,” Smilovic said of her fan club, who look to her as a designer but also a style sage who created an entire philosophy of dressing called “creative pragmatism” — and wrote a book about it.
“Four years ago was the big pivot after COVID and I don’t think we’re pivoting any more, it’s a straight line,” she said of how designing clothes to help women find their personal style, that can be worn multiple ways and for many years, has become her brand’s raison d’etre.
Each season she continues to evolve that solutions-based philosophy, showing more versatile pieces to build on what came before. For quite a while, that meant a lot of tailoring and utility wear, with oversized blazers being a key piece. But for spring, she also conjured something more feminine, with lots of draping, knotting and sex appeal.
“‘Almost reckless’ is the theme,” said Smilovic of moving away from architectural and angular quiet luxury. “We wanted to offer things that drape and fall and hug and twist–skirts that can be tied up or let down, pants that are like jodphurs but cut loose and slouchy. When you have a wardrobe full of classic shapes, all of this adds some friction to it,” she said of how the new pieces will invigorate the old.
On the runway, twisted and knotted dresses and skirts, balloon styles and cape dresses that caught the air looked fresh and romantic but still city smart, while offbeat colors like pistachio green, orange-red and maize yellow added some newness to the tried-and-true black, white, navy, denim and shirt stripes. Smilovic loves an oddball piece and they often end up being genius; this season’s was an elongated sweatshirt with belt loops at the bottom so it could be cinched over a pleated skirt or pants (or worn without a belt as another option, of course).
Backstage, she talked up the versatility of pieces such as elegant chain-link skinny belts, which were shown doubled up as chokers, as lariats over a collared shirt, even as a hair tie. How creative!
She also explained how new totes can convert to backpacks and clutches and are made from rugged nylon tanned at a leather tannery, so it is glossy with the look of leather but also lightweight. How pragmatic!
As it turns out, Smilovic has much more to say about style; she will release a follow-up to her “Creative Pragmatism” book in December. “People have been asking for it,” she said.
