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1 week ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
A few years ago I created this janky little video. My skills have not improved much sense, and that’s fine. Because regardless, what I think you’ll find is that the principles still hold true. If they are ones that you subscribe to. And if they don’t, they won’t. All that means is that you’ll find this amusing sans agreement and some “shit, that’s why….” moments.
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2 weeks ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
NOTE: Please read to the end. The road may wind, but it will get you there. Meandering is good and it’s worth the trip. Ok? In 2020, March 15 to be specific, my husband (Tibi’s CEO) and our President Elaine wrote out three principles that would guide us in every big decision we were about to make. The world was an aflame, the stakes incredibly high, and we needed a way to zero in on what was most important to us.
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3 weeks ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
I’ve been on the road a lot lately. Lots of talks, in dressing rooms privately and publicly to large groups. A few questions have stood out in my head. I will share them here, ok? Q: “What are your biggest regrets?”A: “My knee jerk is to say I have none, that everything happens for a reason, and that as long as you learn and grow then it’s part of the process. And that’s true. But I do have two regrets: 1) I wish I’d stayed put a bit longer when my second child was born.
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3 weeks ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
1997, Hong KongChao: “We have delays in your shipment. Something has gone wrong again. Very bad luck.”Me: “hmmm….did we turn in the orders early enough? Did the trims come on time? Did I make too many changes to the design during the fittings?”Chao: “Meet Ming. She is working with us.’Ming: “Nei Hou.” She grabs mine and Octavia’s* hand. Note: I started Tibi with Octavia in 1997, she left HKG after the first year and I kept the business.
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4 weeks ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
First, allow me to explain what zero-sum means, as just as a placeholder here. I know you know the definitions, but all the same, for clarities sake, I want to make sure we’re on the same page. Zero-sum is a bit like if you and I are hungry, we begin eating a small pizza, and I eat 5 of the 6 slices. And this sucks because you’re still hungry and my gain was a direct loss to you. Often times though, zero-sum is not our reality.
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1 month ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
I packed, I flew, I conquered. I did speeches, styling, bookclub, photo shoots, 2 hours maybe of touring, eating and then some very late stressful nights on the phone back home with NY. Boasting isn’t my thing. Truly. But I am the world’s best packer. With humility I can say I have this down to a science. Literally, I’ve got the math precise, and this doesn’t mean I grandstand on an ability to travel around the world in a backpack. Rather, I pack pragmatically, with creativity. Unsprisingly.
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1 month ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
Howling. That was the sound of the wind on a recent cloudy Saturday. With Jack on my lap (dog), I settled in to my couch to watch a documentary. My red notebook at my side, it always is. The anxiousness I get when I have a thought with no place to document it is real. Thoughts come fast and leave even quicker, time is of the essence with the way my brain works. Or doesn’t, depending on your take. I logged in to my PBS Documentaries subscription.
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1 month ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
Traci would always kill me when we’d go to Paris to look at fabrics for the new season. We’d be there a week, have a ton to do, and she’d smugly get to the airport with her little carry on as I’d be haggling at the Delta counter with my giant bag. And listen, Traci loves design, she loves clothes. Clearly. It’s just she is very pragmatic, she cuts out all the extra noise when she’s travelling and she packs what works for her.
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2 months ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
As we’re taking off for Paris last week, my texts with Sarah, our Brand Director, went something like this:A: we have some time after we land, is there anything special you’re wanting to buy? To go see? S: : : : : : (thinking) : : : : : : : (more thinking) finally…….you said you liked those clear sandals at Chloe? We never go to Chloe…A: Yea, but I realized I liked the view from the top on the model; the heel tho, I’m not convinced. AND, before I left I got an ad from Bloomingdales promoting them.
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2 months ago | 
amysmilovic.substack.com | Amy Smilovic
Bear with me, this isn’t a recap of a night out in Paris, and setting the stage is important. Last night, tucked away in the 11th arrondissement, I looked down the long table at a candle lit scene that glowed upon on fabulous face after another. Chairs were filled with musicians, furniture designers, photographers, designers, models, painters, and a fashion executive or two. A range of mother tongue languages were hinted at in accents, but the words were mostly English. Dieu merci.