Tibi Fall 2009
Where & When: Tuesday, February 17th at 7 p.m., the Promenade, Bryant Park
Runway Recap: Fashion has a longstanding love affair with Russia--Fur! Embroidery! Velvet! Tzarinas!--and while it can often devolve into cliché, leave it to Tibi's Amy Smilovic to find a fresh interpretation of the theme. With bright, bold colors, a light hand, and her signature silhouettes (the A-line minidress, the peasant maxi-dress), Smilovic melded the Russian inspiration with the '80s influence that's been all over the runways this week--jumpsuits, strong shoulders, Hammer pants. It may sound like a bit much, but it wasn't--Tibi is routinely one of my favorite shows because the looks are totally wearable and often show up in stores almost exactly as presented on the runway (and at prices I can afford); I will definitely keep an eye out for several of the looks from tonight's show.
Standout Look: While I always love Tibi's prints (and there were many great ones in this show, including one that instantly made me think of Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard), I thought this long dress was a lovely interpretation of the Russian theme, with just enough metallic embroidery to convey the point.
Bonus Points: Tibi always draws some of the top models, and I was happy to see Behati, Tanya D., Lakshmi, and Suri all walking in the show.
Where to Buy: Tibi boutique at 120 Wooster St. in Soho, and many more locations at Tibi.com.