AMY SMILOVIC CREATES STREET-CHIC FOR THE MERCEDES-BENZ FALL 2011 RUNWAY

Is it possible to turn ‘90s grunge into a look any girl would love?  It is if you’re Amy Smilovic.  She started with a basic palette of gray and black, then added little pops of pink, a beanie here, a sweater there.  Street-smart baggy flannel pants were paired with short jackets or cardigans.  Soft dresses were topped by fleece and leather coats.  Outerwear was beautifully constructed.

But it wasn’t only about the streetwear. The Tibi we know and love appeared in the form of beautiful dresses and elegant eveningwear.  There was a soft, white flowery print, and a longer gray knit.  Her prints were complicated and amazing.

But where the collection really shined was in her more formal dresses. There was a graceful soft, white eyelet lace that looked so young and fresh, and a longer teal dress that was beautiful and flowing.  Cocktail and evening dresses were done in gold-tinted metallic paired with silky black.

One beautiful red and black print really popped, in a short, single shoulder version as well as a longer, elegant evening dress.  A red-on-white print was complex and feminine, and her white tuxedo jacket showed a true edge.

Not everyone can make such a varied collection work, but Smilovic did, and her runway showed a Fall line that’s sure to have something to please just about every woman.

Photography: Anton Brookes