Amy Smilovic, founder of Tibi, shares her 27-year journey, highlighting the brand's pivot to a direct-to-consumer model and away from traditional department store partnerships. This episode offers valuable insights into adapting business strategies, evolving brand identity, and the advantages of a DTC-focused approach for fashion brands navigating a dynamic market.
Key takeaways
Tibi's decision to exit department stores underscores a larger DTC trend, allowing brands greater control over their sales channels, customer relationships, and profitability. Brands should evaluate their reliance on wholesale partners and consider the long-term benefits of direct engagement.
Embrace a 'creative pragmatist' approach to design and business, balancing artistic vision with market realities and customer needs to ensure both brand integrity and commercial success.
The pandemic accelerated Tibi's shift towards independence, demonstrating the importance of agility and strategic adaptation in response to external disruptions. Brands should build resilient business models capable of quickly pivoting.
Discontinuing traditional runway shows for Fall 2024 reflects a move towards alternative, potentially more cost-effective and impactful, marketing strategies. Brands should assess the ROI of traditional marketing efforts and explore innovative alternatives.
Focus on evolving brand identity based on market feedback and strategic decisions, such as Tibi's shift away from prints, to maintain relevance and differentiate in a competitive landscape.
Twenty-seven years ago, Amy Smilovic and her husband launched Tibi in Hong Kong. Though it was a struggle to get there, the currently NYC-based brand looks much different today. For starters, it’s largely void of prints. And the brand’s direct sales now make up a majority of the business. On this New York Fashion Week edition of the Glossy Podcast, founder and creative director Amy Smilovic discusses her brand’s evolution, including its new, pandemic-driven approach to independence. She also discusses her signature “creative pragmatist” style, her thought process when choosing retail partners and her reason for ditching the runway show for fall 2024.
Tibi's decision to exit department stores underscores a larger DTC trend, allowing brands greater control over their sales channels, customer relationships, and profitability. Brands should evaluate their reliance on wholesale partners and consider the long-term benefits of direct engagement.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Embrace a 'creative pragmatist' approach to design and business, balancing artistic vision with market realities and customer needs to ensure both brand integrity and commercial success.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
The pandemic accelerated Tibi's shift towards independence, demonstrating the importance of agility and strategic adaptation in response to external disruptions. Brands should build resilient business models capable of quickly pivoting.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Discontinuing traditional runway shows for Fall 2024 reflects a move towards alternative, potentially more cost-effective and impactful, marketing strategies. Brands should assess the ROI of traditional marketing efforts and explore innovative alternatives.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Focus on evolving brand identity based on market feedback and strategic decisions, such as Tibi's shift away from prints, to maintain relevance and differentiate in a competitive landscape.
