Tibi too Timid, Traditional Collection Turns Out Trash

I had high hopes as I walked towards the Tibi store on Wooster. It was a bright day and I was looking forward to seeing the perky colors and playful silhouettes I expect from a Tibi collection, reflecting an awfully long winter finally melting into spring. As I stepped into their store I was greeted by a quote:

“We have a lot to say about our Fall 2020 collection. Our journey has been thousands of steps leading to where you stand today: in the Tibi store on Wooster, reflecting on our past while proudly presenting our future.”

The greeting stopped there unfortunately. As I surveyed the room, I saw Tibi’s employees all sitting behind the counter, most of them on their iPhones, while the others stared idly off into space as they sipped coconut water. I began making my way through the showroom. Their small store was sparsely furnished, and not in an attractive way, but rather in a style reminiscent of a small apartment when you first move in. It is one thing for the downtown Rick Owens store to promote minimalism, because it is intentional and on brand for them, but for Tibi who states that they are “presenting the future” I’m not sure that’s the case. The sparsity of the room gave off a sense of incompleteness, and frankly, cheapness. As I took an initial lap of the room to orient myself, I began to notice the inconsistent lighting, and that the pedestals and racks displaying the collection were chipped and smudged with fingerprints. My first impression of their space was that they did not bother putting much work into it. However, I wasn’t here to judge the room, I was here to gauge the clothing.

Usually, when someone says they have a lot to say about something, they actually have very little, and this was exactly the case. Six mannequins stood idle in the middle of the room. One rack of overcoats and sweaters stood against the wall in the back and a shelf displaying several bags, boots, and Tibi’s Clarks collaboration occupied the other wall. The collection’s intent of creating the uniform of the everyday woman of the future did not reflect what I saw. The looks in front of me were uninspired, featuring flat clothing of muted tones of black, grey, and brown, with no volume. Tibi has previously found success with conservative patterns and variations of materials, but none of that was present in their “showroom”. The pants were cut straight and the coats were cut traditionally. Aside from some nonfunctional paneling sloppily thrown onto some of the pieces, futuristic would be the last thing I would describe them as.

What really put me off from this collection was the disconnect and lack of passion between the Tibi designers and this project. When I looked at Raf’s showing for Dior in 2012 for the first time, what caught my eye was the intricate lacework and carefully cut and sewn dresses. When I saw Jean Paul Gaultier’s ready to wear collection from 1994 I was mesmerized by the individualized jewelry and hairdressing on each model. My favorite collections of all time, despite covering a breath of styles, fabrics, and designers, share a commonality of love of the craft. This capsule seemed passionless in this regard. When I look at a Tibi collection I expect to see traditional, accessible, everyday clothing. I am not looking for intricate lacework nor extreme jewelry, but for evidence that each look cost the designers nights of sleep as they painstakingly perfected everything. Tibi’s sloppy presentation and drab garments could have been started and finished in a month. It seemed as if they were unapologetically uninterested, and not in a cool way.

Looking back through Tibi’s recent collections, they have essentially been reproducing the same clothes season after season, while getting less and less adventurous. The “thousands of steps” they refer to in the above quote must be on a treadmill. While some companies can flourish from repeated themes and garments (Hedi Slimane’s stint at SLP), I do not see Tibi as one of them. In the current bubble where absurd experimentation sells clothing (Demna Gvasalia’s success at Balenciaga and Vetements) Tibi takes no risks, pushes no boundaries, and is not trying to expand its vision. Their boots are the same they have been making for years, and their clarks collaboration are simply wallabees in the colors of black and white. The one interesting concept is the travel pillow they had throughout the showroom, as a high quality and functional accessory. Too bad Margiela did that two years ago already.

Taking up the right wall, next to the counter of unenthused workers, was an immense wall of shelves filled with Tibi branded merchandise. A small sign explained that they were made to accent the lifestyle that Tibi represents, but they looked more like a shitty gift shop, or an etsy webstore. Items such as water bottles, sleeping masks, nail clippers, hats, notebooks, lighters, and of course, New York’s favorite, tote bags (ugh) filled the shelves. They did not look like carefully curated items with quality production. They were closer to blanks that Tibi had appropriated and simply stamped their logo on. It was a desperate ploy for sales which brings me to the major revelation I took away from their show.

Tibi is likely broke. For one, they show in New York, which is easily the least impressive fashion week location. They are not covered by the major fashion publications. They are not promoted in popular stores. Their lack of showmanship and spectacle, coupled with their laughably small collection of uninspired clothing and their depressing little gift shop do not reflect a brand that has the financial fortitude to focus on artistry and experimentation. We will see if they make a return to the runway next season, but in the age of major fashion house’s clothing going on sale weeks after release and the closing of stores such as Barney’s and Opening Ceremony, I would not be surprised if Tibi is struggling. They may even close in the next few years. After seeing their Fall 2020 collection I can't imagine anyone being too broken up if they do.