A DAY IN THE LIFE: TIBI’S AMY SMILOVIC

In just eight months, 2020 has already unpicked the seams of the fashion industry twenty times over. So what exactly does it look like from the inside? The brilliant Amy Smilovic, founder and creative director of Hong Kong-born, New York-based Tibi, shares a snapshot of life.

“I am simply in the mode of ‘it is what it is’. So, I have made the best of the situation. We have a small creative team and we are just very focused on creating only what we love and producing only what we need. No more, no less. This is oddly very liberating.”

“I split my time between Manhattan, New York and Greenwich, Connecticut. I live out in the country with foxes in my backyard, and just this morning a fawn stared me down in my driveway.”

“This will sound quite strange, but the spirit in the town of Greenwich has changed, in many ways, for the better as a result of COVID-19. There is outdoor dining now, and the sidewalks are filled with people enjoying being outside. It’s very French and I love that.”

“We’ve lived out here [in Connecticut] for 20 years, but I commute every day to Manhattan where Tibi is based. I go into our atelier two to three days per week. I am usually up by 6am, coffee and then I am at the computer – sketching, working on my book or creating content. I do this for a solid three hours before the rest of the team starts sending out emails and Zoom calls. By 9am I’ve had three cups of coffee, a habit I’m trying to break.”

“Lunch is just non-existent – it really tends to be whatever I grab going from the kitchen to my desk. At the office, I have a routine and I rarely change it because it is just easier for me to press ‘reorder’ on my computer. I order a Chinese dumpling soup with watercress and then a side of steamed dumplings. I always have a bottle of Sriracha nearby on my desk. I work through lunch and if I am at the office, it’s my time to catch up on looking at runway shows, reading sites such as Business of Fashion and Jing Daily. “

“Honestly, I am so absorbed right now in writing my style book and doing style and business classes on Instagram Live. It has become this new, incredible part of my day and it keeps me in constant contact with our customers – even our stores follow my Instagram so I am able to communicate daily with the people who buy or wear the clothing. It’s not about getting feedback from the customers, it’s about having the opportunity to really explain our vision, why we love what we do, and how we envision wearing our designs. It’s very freeing to be able to show customers your vision directly.”

“My husband and I are ploughing through one series after another on Netflix. My favourite is Call My Agent, a French series – wonderful.”

Shop the Tibi Autumn Winter 2020 collection below. Amy Smilovic’s latest range was designed to be worn while exploring the world around you, from discovering your neighbourhood and new people, food and music, to appreciating what may be just next door.