Amy Smilovic has been playing her cards right at Tibi for the past several seasons. Having shifted her focus from party frocks to clean basics, her business is now doing better than ever. For proof, look no further than the street-style blogs. Last season, Tommy Ton snapped in-demand girls, including Elena Perminova and Miroslava Duma, wearing looks from the Resort collection. Even Beyoncé was papped at a recent Brooklyn Nets game sporting head-to-toe Tibi. You don't need to be fashion mad—or have a superstar's budget, either—to appreciate these clothes. Smilovic's pre-fall lineup delivered on everyday essentials like cobalt suiting separates with a tailored slouch and classic varsity jackets. "It's important to show people how we would wear something," said the designer, pointing out the versatile dickeys shown with many of the looks, a small styling decision that made a big impact throughout.
A New York City theme anchored the lineup and added a bit of flavor. The graphic stripes zigzagging over shift dresses and sweatshirts were actually pulled from a blown-up subway map. Elsewhere, cropped and relaxed jeans were printed with a selectively colored image of the Big Apple's skyline, and one intarsia sweater featured Lady Liberty's visage.
