Amy Smilovic And The Creative Pragmatist
I decided to kick off our "Amy Smilovic Is Coming To The Hive" week with daily features on one of the words - or concepts, which might be a better term - from the Tibictionary. The Tibictionary are words used by Amy in her popular Instagram Live Style Classes. Besides making amazing clothes and styles, she also has an amazing attitude, or "perspective" might once again be a better term. Beginning in March 2020, she took to social media and talked to her customers. Clearly, she gave great advice on how to dress for the changing times and has continued to do so. But she also talked about how she kept her doors open during the pandemic, a bit of a behind-the-scenes look into the workings of the line. She also took the chance to help other up-and-coming designers and business owners. She held "classes" giving advice on starting a company, how to hire, when to expand, and so on. It was honest, not fluff, just like when she talks about style.
It is safe to say this is why her following has exploded, along with Tibi's following. She doesn't get into politics or personal things; it is all about her brand and her business, but her personality shines through. Her fashion and life philosophies are clear, which I think is why her line is so great. She has a point of view, and it is one that resonates with me. That doesn't mean you have to have her exact style; that would be boring. It means the pieces Tibi makes can be incorporated into your style and your life.
The first word you need to understand about Tibi is the word that encompasses the clothing, Creative Pragmatist.
A Creative Pragmatist, in the words of AMY:
"You know that woman who catches your eye on the sidewalk (or on Instagram) and looks fantastic, but you can't quite put your finger on why? It isn't for some glaringly obvious reason like a neon print or flashy logo. Maybe it's the slightly-oversized cut of her blazer, or the shrugged-on drape of her coat, or the way she's mixed patent leather with cashmere. Or it's the way she's wearing the same thing as everyone else - say, a black pantsuit - but with sneakers, not pumps. Whatever it is, she caught your eye not simply because she looks cool, but because she projects confidence and ease. Her style tells you who she is, not just where she shops (or who she's trying to imitate). Somehow you can intuit that she didn't spend her morning tearing her room apart and agonizing over what to wear, either; she seems like the type who woke up, got dressed, and didn't overthink it.
That "type" is what we like to call the creative pragmatist: a woman with a unique, highly personal sense of style, who never sacrifices function for fashion, and, frankly, is interested in a lot more than just what she's wearing. She doesn't have an overstuffed closet of things she's never worn, nor does she want to buy into every schizophrenic runway trend. She wants clothes that reflect her personality and make her feel like herself - a person who is creative, hardworking, and open-minded - but never at the expense of practicality. She doesn't have time for fuss, but she won't leave the house feeling average, either. She gravitates towards items that strike that tricky balance: that are as useful as they are exciting; that are familiar but not forgettable; that are chic but chill. Creative, but pragmatic."
So if you want to understand the brand, I think this is the first place to start.
Attached is a lookbook of all the great clothing we will have in store for the event. Some of it is part of our fall offerings, but lots of great fundamentals and Fall 2 pieces that are just here for the weekend. Stop by Thursday to meet Amy. We are booking appointments to shop with her, but you can always just come in and say hi. If you can't make it in on Thursday, the trunk show is happening all weekend, and we will have lots of folks working to help.
