Text, Vivian G. Kelly
Backstage Images, Richard Spiegel
Runway Images, Corina Lecca, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Newsgroup
TIBI: THE PRE-SHOW
TIME: FRIDAY NIGHT, JULY 18TH, 7 – 8pm
PLACE: Cabana Grande, at the Raleigh Hotel
TIBI is one of the hottest contemporary lines in the United States and hangs in over 200 specialty stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, to name just a few, and a staple with the Greenwich/Nantucket crowd. We were confident that designer Amy Smilovic would show us some suits and coverups that were unmistakably "Tibi".
TIBI was our first show of the week. Backstage was the fashion bedlam we love, we felt like we were back on our home turf in Bryant Park.
Although we missed our schedule 5:50pm scheduled interview time, designer Amy Smilovic was kind enough to talk about her collection, all the while being photographed by 2 photographers at the same time.
LYRA MAG: What’s on the racks is so Palm Beach glam!
AMY SMILOVIC: The Collection is inspired by Island Living.
[Ms. Smilovic grew-up on Saint Simon’s Island, a preppy enclave off the Georgia Coast]
LYRA MAG: Was the inspiration by how women dressed on St. Simon’s Island?
AMY SMILOVIC: I would like Saint Simon Island women to dress like this all the time!
LYRA MAG: What’s your favorite look?
AMY SMILOVIC: [going over to the racks] the candy pink beaded tunic, and the Zephyr bathing suit [a colorful halter maillot].
THE TIBI RUNWAY SHOW
The prints, as TOBE Report’s Carolyn Egan remarked prior to the show really WERE “exquisite”. You could choose from: Wild Orchid, Ikat, whirlpool and candy stripe patterns and all in explosive color combinations with turquoise featuring a starring role.
MOST NOTABLE COVER- the dressy beaded “Maya” tunics. We loved the candy pink one and the black version is perfect for laid back Island Black Tie.
FAVE BIKINI: the rhythmic Ikat bikini with gold hardware loops.
The one pieces were sexy too, especially the sleek gray one piece.
ACCESSORY NOTE:
The matching cover-ups and canvas tote bags added sophistication, as did the yellow gold cuffs many of the models wore and the gold lame gladiator style thong TIBI high heels, These sexy shoes would also work for off island city dressing.
To see more of the TIBI collections, visit the official website,
www.tibi.com