Get to know Tia Cibani—businesswoman, world traveler, mother, and creative force behind eponyous childrenswear label TiA CiBANi KiDS. Radiating an uncommon warmth, Tia’s gentle demeanor is punctuated with a no-nonsense authenticity that makes her one of my favourite humans to run into at the kids’ fashion trade shows.
JI: In a former life, you made China your home; what were you up to at that time? Do you speak Chinese? What do you appreciate most about Chinese culture/geography/etc?
TC: My job took me to China and I was working on the collection that was focusing on the China market, during a very special time in China from 1994 to 2004. Many of us call it the golden years and China was truly blossoming in to the economy that it is today. Consumers were hungry for new and interesting things that gave me and my design team confidence to experiment and do some of our best work in those years. I enjoyed and continue to enjoy many aspects of the Chinese culture, food being first. I have many friends in China and go back periodically to visit.
JI: You recently relocated your home and studio from the hustle of NYC to an idyllic countryside location. Do you miss the city? What do you love most about your new digs?
TC: I don’t miss the city and I ask myself why I didn’t make this decision sooner. I am essentially in heaven. Nature is therapy. I love being in the midst of 28 acres of green. The truth is my new digs is an hour by train from NYC and I can easily zip over for a cocktail party or a day at the museum. That is probably why I don’t feel any withdrawals from NYC. I know it is accessible. I still love NYC the same and believe it is the greatest city on earth. I’m currently searching for a pied-à-terre near my old neighborhood in the city.
JI: What are two highlights of your glorious new Spring Summer 17 collection?
TC: One of the highlights would be the Patchwork Pleats Shift Dress in our super lightweight and paper-thin Japanese denim fabric with avant-garde ribbon placement. Another highlight would be the straw boater hat with tulle pompoms.
JI: Your little ones are both under the age of five, so they probably are using hilariously unique-to-them catch phrases or adorably mispronouncing everyday words. Care to share the cuteness?
TC: My daughter Castine who’s soon going to be five, often blurs words into each other. The most recent one was “disastrophy.”
JI: What is your favorite fashion/culture magazine?
TC: AnOther Magazine.
TiA CiBANi KiDS can be found in fine boutiques in the United States and worldwide and in the TiA CiBANi KiDS web shop here.
Interview by Jennifer Irizarry @jennyfriend
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