Over the past few years, Tibi has become known for its clean, minimalist-with-a-twist aesthetic, but this season designer Amy Smilovic went for a worldlier look by turning to Asia and South America for inspiration. "I tried to bring together the modernity of Japan with the craftwork from Peru," she said backstage. "The reason is, I love all their organic fabrics, but there's a fine line, because we're not all just at the beach or shopping at the natural-food market. You live in a city and you have to work."Focusing on rich fabrics such as supple suede, leather, and linen, Smilovic fused together elements from each country in a modern way. She opened her Spring show with quilted, tied sweatshirts and biker jackets etched in artisanal fringe, and touched upon the idea of kimonos with fluid robe trenches and starched wrap blouses reminiscent of men's sleep shirts. In the same vein were tentlike pleats found on full skirts, which echoed origami folds. Elsewhere, the Southern Hemisphere influence came into play with beautiful hand-crocheted tops backed in stiff cotton that lent them structured appeal.
While eveningwear has been all but absent on recent Tibi runways, there was a certain return to dressing up this time around. Among the highlights were ribbon-printed silk frocks that had terrific movement, as well as a pair of one-shouldered numbers cinched around the waist that didn't feel too formal when cut from crisp poplin and styled with cool, flat gladiator sandals. - Brittany Adams (Style.com)
