Happy last day of Fashion Week! Check out our latest reviews–from Diesel Black Gold‘s grown-up rock n’ roll look and Narciso Rodriguez‘s sleek geometric styles to Tibi‘s luxurious collection. It’s all here baby, and it’s all for you.
Five years ago we never would have said this, but: we were actually really excited to see what Tibi’s Amy Smilovic had up her sleeve this season. Really.
Lately, the designer’s cast her fourteen-year-old line in a new light, abandoning its hold as a Milly or Rebecca Taylor competitor. Instead of collections that are perfectly pleasant though always predictable, Tibi’s stepping into new territory: sharp blazers and strikingly full skirts, rendered not in flimsy fabrics, but luxe materials that merit a rising price tag (last season, a more lavish cocktail dress neared $800). The brand’s aiming for a different niche: stuff Olivia Palermo might wear, or at least, the kind of stuff that looks like it. Which makes sense, as the socialite, fashion darling, and soon-to-be website mogul is now the face of the brand.
It makes sense that fashion brands have glommed onto Tumblr. The microblogging platform’s highly visual nature is a perfect fit for fashion brands to showcase their identities in creative and subtle ways. Of course, some brands are much better at it than others. Here are the brands we think are using Tumblr best right now.
If you’ve ever read Advanced Style, one of my favorite blogs, then you’re probably familiar with Iris Apfel. Iris is without a doubt one of New York’s most treasured style icons, darting around the city in her trademark spectacles, decked out in accessories while remaining light and effortless. At Monday’s CFDA awards, Ms. Apfel told the story of how she once worked for WWD and earned a salary of $15 per week. True, that was a standard wage back then but we still shudder to think about it. After her time at WWD she began working in the textile industry where she further honed her style and sharp eye for prints, textures and patterns–it’s no wonder she has unmatched style. Before presenting Alexander Wang with his Accessories Designer of the Year award, Ms. Apfel proclaimed that she is indeed a fan of the accessory. All it takes is a Google image search to see that she wasn’t lying.
With a backdrop of metal-shuttered city storefronts, we anticipated a grittier Tibi collection this season. Like so many others this week, designer Amy Smilovic was inspired by the 90s, but she focused less on the grunge (although we saw some elements of it), and more on the sleekness and simplicity of the decade.
Daywear was just that with boy blazers, trousers, and basic frocks like sweater dresses accented only by hot pink slouch beanies and arm warmers.
Here’s proof editors-as-style-stars are influencing designers: Tibi‘s Amy Smilovic used street style shots of five editors known for their unique style and created personalized stationery for them as gifts.
But if you’re not lucky enough to be Italian Elle‘s Eva Fontanelli, Teen Vogue‘s Jane Keltner deValle, Elle‘s Kate Lanphear, Teen Vogue‘s Mary Kate Steinmiller, or Marie Claire‘s Taylor Tomasi Hill, you can purchase standard Tibi stationary decorated with adorable illustrations of girls in frothy dresses in Tibi stores or at Tibi.com.
Check it out–we’ve got to admit, the stationery is pretty cute.
