KAROLINA ZMARLAK, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, KZ_K STUDIO

STUDIED TAILORING AT FIT, GRADUATING WITH HONORS, WHILE WINNING THE GEN STYLES COMPETITION. SHE BEGAN A PRIVATE CUSTOM BUSINESS PRIOR TO THE 2008 GREAT RECESSION, FOCUSING ON SPECIALTY PIECES THAT WERE ONE-OFF AND MADE-TO-ORDER SPECIFICALLY TO THE SIZE, FIT AND NEED OF THE CLIENT. KAROLINA INFUSED TAILORING SPECIALIZATION, TECHNIQUE AND PARTICULAR MODERN MINIMALIST IDEALS INTO EACH PIECE.

THAT CONCEPT EVOLVED INTO THE EPONYMOUS KAROLINA ZMARLAK, A WOMEN’S READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION, WHEN ALONG WITH HER PARTNER, JESSE KEYES, AN URBAN PLANNER AND ARCHITECT BY TRAINING, THEY DECIDED THAT THE COLLECTION SHOULD UTILIZE THE THINKING OF THE MADE-TO-MEASURE PROCESS, BY CREATING PERSONALIZED PIECES BOUGHT OFF THE RACK. EACH PIECE WOULD HAVE MULTI USE THAT TRANSLATES INTO REAL VALUE (DURING THE HEART OF THE RECESSION). BUSINESS OF FASHION PUBLISHED AN EXTENSIVE ARTICLE ON THE COLLECTION, ENTITLED “ TRANSFORMATIONAL VALUE.” THE CONCEPT STOOD FOR CONVERTIBLE DESIGN THAT COULD BE WORN VARIABLY DEPENDING ON ONE’S OWN LOOK, MOOD AND NEED, GENERATING CONVERTIBLE VALUE AND UTILITY. THE KAROLINA ZMARLAK COLLECTION WAS MAINLY SOLD THROUGH BOUTIQUES AND DEPARTMENT STORES (SAKS FIFTH AVE AND NEIMAN MARCUS, IN THE PREMIER DESIGNER CATEGORY). KAROLINA ZMARLAK WAS COVERED BY THE MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS: VOGUE, STYLE, WWD, HARPERS BAZAAR, BUSINESS OF FASHION AND OTHERS.

KAROLINA RELAUNCHED AS KZ_K STUDIO, JANUARY 1, 2016, FOCUSING ON A SLOW FASHION, DIRECT-TO-CLIENT MODEL, WITH A CONTINUED DESIGN DISCIPLINE OF MODERNIST MULTI-FUNCTION, STYLISTICALLY MINIMAL LOOKS. THE DESIGN NARRATIVES AND EXPERIENCES HELD AT HER STUDIO (DESIGNED BY HER PARTNER, JESSE) ON GREAT JONES STREET IN MANHATTAN TRANSLATES INTO CLIENT UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION, ENJOYMENT AND LOYALTY.

WITH HER TEAM, KAROLINA CONCEIVES, DESIGNS, DEVELOPS, COMMUNICATES, AND TRAVELS EXTENSIVELY TO SELL EACH COLLECTION TO HER NATIONWIDE CLIENTELE.