A Libyan in China

Following in the footsteps of Tory Burch, Jason Wu, and Joseph Altuzarra, designer Tia Cibani won the Fashion Group International Rising Star award this year. Cibani is not exactly what one would call and up and coming talent, though, having been at the head the Asian-focused Canadian ready-to-wear brand, Ports 1961. Style.com/Arabia chatted with this assertive woman about identity, her aspirations, and the launch of her eponymous brand, which signals the start of a new adventure.

Everywhere I look, in every article, and even on your website, it says, “Born in North Africa.” Why North Africa? Why not Libya? I wouldn’t write “North America” if I was Canadian…

Before the Arab spring, not a lot of people (you’d be surprised) knew Libya even existed, so to give them something clear, obvious, and non-questionable, it was simpler to just say North Africa.

And as much as I am absolutely Libyan, I feel that I represent the culture of the general North Africa region more than Libya, specifically.

The country is beautiful and colorful, but it is very conservative.

I left for Canada when I was six, so pretty young, but we spoke the language growing up. I have older siblings who are more connected to our roots than I am; they are very close to our cousins. Being only six when we moved, it was very different for me.

You grew up in Canada and then got offered this incredible job at Ports 1961. How did it happen? The change from North Africa, to Canada, and then venturing on to Asia?

I knew I wanted to be in fashion, and as a young person, I didn’t know to what capacity, but I was obsessed with fashion. As a young teen, I wallpapered my bedroom from floor to ceiling with tears from magazines and I updated them every season. It was intense. 

So I knew that I wanted to pursue fashion, and I did. I went to New York to study at Parsons and after just a year I got this opportunity to intern in China and I took it thinking, “I am going to go for six months to do an internship. It will be an interesting experience because I will be working at a manufacturing company as well as a sample room.”

I thought that was going to be a very valuable experience. And those six months turned into three years, which turned into five years, and then into ten, and now, I feel that Asia is where I have really got my foundation. And it was all about being open to opportunities and uninhibited about going to a faraway land very unknown to me, although I was around people I felt comfortable with and trusted. But at the same time, I think it was a very courageous move and it all happened very organically.

Do you lead your brand the same way that you would an international brand? 

I’m very considerate of the world market and the markets that I feel a connection with, hoping to cater to them. So, yes, I would like to pursue a presence in China and I would also like to pursue more of a presence in the Middle Eastern market.

As for the kind of backwards approach, there was nothing strategic about it; I feel like I just got lucky. I was open-minded and not scared about being in a different place. My friends were like, “Are you crazy?” I just wanted to explore and do something new. I learned the ropes in a place that was less competitive, more forgiving. It was nice to not have the expert eyes of the New York fashion industry watching over my every move as a newcomer.

And then once I really learned the ropes, after ten years, I felt comfortable returning to New York with all that experience. I feel good about it. I do feel like I am a constant start-up person, but maybe this will be my last start up. I like building and I am good at conceptualizing. I am good at building a team and bringing people together. And starting again now in New York with my new little project is very exciting.

Do you ever have anxiety being all on your own? 

The main challenges I have been facing and I continue to at this point are not having that built-in infrastructure to lean on. I mean, you do everything yourself. If you’re not doing it, it’s not getting done. It’s very different from being in a well-structured corporate environment. I feel like not having that infrastructure to lean on is a challenge that I actually welcome. I feel really confident and I go to work with a smile on my face every day.

Did you express, in some part, your memories of China and Libya via this collection?

It’s subliminal and it happens without me even realizing it. I love the kaftan, I love tunics, I love embroideries and embellishments, so, I end up applying all that without even realizing that I am drawing from my heritage. It’s not very specific, but I don’t want it to be. I am happy that it’s gently there in the back of my mind and quietly appears in small doses in the collection.

The world of fashion has changed considerably within the last five years with the economic crisis and the Internet. Do you think, “What are new mediums that I can use to promote my brand now?”

I do believe that things have changed drastically since the 2008 economic crisis and I take that into serious consideration when working on my collection. I think the Ports approach to everything was very old school and very traditional, which is tried and true, and that’s fine for a bigger company with the infrastructure to support it. Whereas with a new project like mine, it’s important to think outside of the box and be creative with the amazing tools that we have right now, which are literally free—like blogging and social media. My whole focus with this collection is to create something beautiful. I don’t want to stop shopping, I don’t want to stop dressing, I love life and I love fashion, but I don’t want to break the bank. I want things that are balanced and I don’t mind paying a certain amount for something good, but I don’t want to just wear and toss, and I don’t necessarily want to pay USD$3,000 for a dress either. I feel that acceptable luxury—that middle ground, has a very good opportunity in this market and that’s where I am positioning my collection.