Tibi’s styles that are my favorites…..off-the-shoulder, big trend for Spring and of course the strapless….two of her many great tops, available online and/or at Neiman Marcus
How did Tibi come to be?
Well, what happens when a Georgia gal moves to NYC to work for American Express and meets a dashing native of Chech-Republic who heads the International Division, which is she works in? He gets transferred to Hong Kong and as corporate law has written it, he could not be her supervisor. Being resourceful, Amy Smilovic starts her own apparel business in 3-days after landing there, finds a partner and did their first collection of two dresses and a pair of pants. They needed a name…..partner’s Grandmother’s name was Tibi and Amy’s were Bernice and Betty….the name Tibi stuck and the rest is history. One of the hottest contemporary lines in the country was born.
They immediately landed their first account….Neiman Marcus, sold that company to some Ex Pats in Hong Kong and moved back to NYC where she set up her company (solely owned by she and her husband), studio and office in SoHo and moved with her hubby to Greenwich, Connecticut where they live with their two sons.
About the Tibi Collection
On the runways of Fashion Houston was Spring 2015 which she calls a collaboration in her mind of…“Japan Meets Peru”! She has taken the minimalist approach and Japanese touches such a obi sashes and added to that the craftsmanship of Peru, as seen in much of the texture of the collection. Her approach to this collection is much deeper than that….we spoke candidly as to the emerging segment that is coming out of the designer market. The customer who has Designer taste level, does not want to pay designer prices but wants greater quality than she is finding in many of the fast stores around that are popping up for the hip, masses! That segment in department stores is the surging segment of sportswear known as Contemporary…the place to be if you are a Designer.
Fashion Houston Runway Highlights
At Neiman Marcus Trunk Show…great time for candid chat with designer, founder, owner, Amy
The representation on the floor in Cusp on Neiman Marcus Galleria’s Level III, was a little bit of Fall leftovers, all new Holiday/Resort and the Spring 2015 Collection from the Runway. She explains that she designs for the “35-yr-old-sensability”….that modern woman that doesn’t want to look 25 but also more importantly, no matter her age, has that confident feeling of knowing what you like, no need to get approval and will wear what you want, any way you want it without a yea or nea from hubby, parent or bff. (I liked that as it truly talks to a state of mind, not a number…..wonder why I like that?! no guessing there!!!)
photos courtesy of Fashion Houston5 and Roz Pactor’s iPhone