Tibi's Amy Smilovic launched an e-commerce site earlier this year, and she loves the direct interaction with her customers. Now she no longer feels the need to include a once requisite $298 floral frock so the collection will get picked up by retailers. Her Web following has given her the confidence to throw caution to the wind and show quirky pieces like the strapless, leopard-print bubble dress she compared to an upside-down cupcake, or a miniskirt that looks pleated but is actually layers of carwash-like flaps (the designer advised against twirling in this one). Some of the elements we saw on the Spring runway were replayed for pre-fall. Smilovic is a fan of matchy, head-to-toe dressing, and this time around, she showed a camel skirtsuit with tone-on-tone lace. Structured cap sleeves also made a repeat appearance. But there was still plenty of fresh material here for Tibi devotees. A leather-lined topcoat with trumpet sleeves and a swingy tank dress that curved in slightly at the arm both had modern appeal.
