When Amy Smilovic founded Tibi almost 20 years ago, contemporary designer fashion — a broad category that encompassed department store brands as well as the lower end of luxury design — was just beginning to emerge as the highly profitable, trend-driven market it is today. Smilovic began Tibi in Hong Kong in 1997 and, thanks to some well-timed luck and hustle, quickly garnered attention in U.S. for a series of printed silk scarf skirts, which helped launch the brand alongside feminine, print-loving competitors like Milly and Rebecca Taylor. It was a business plan that worked for over a decade.
