Karolina Zmarlak

Zmarlak was born in Poland.[2] She immigrated to Chicago in 1992 through the Diversity Visa (DV) program.[1][3] She was inspired to become a clothing designer after taking her first sewing class in high school.[3][4] Zmarlak attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.[1][3][5][6] While in college, she was awarded the Gen Art Styles Award for evening wear in 2005.[7][8][9][10]

Zmarlak began her career in the fashion industry by interning at the fashion brands Theory and Carolina Herrera.[7][8][11] After graduating from college, she partnered with Jesse Keyes to launch the self-titled fashion label Karolina Zmarlak in 2009.[1][8][12] In 2009, Zmarlak launched her first clothing collection, Fluid Foundations, through the stores Takashimaya and Eva.[13][14][15] In 2011, she collaborated with Belvedere Vodka on the fashion film Double Identity.[16][17] In 2013, Zmarlak formed a partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue, which began carrying her clothing collections.[18] In 2014, Zmarlak became one of the first recipients of the New York City Fashion Production Fund.[8][19][20][21][22]

In 2015, Zmarlak collaborated with costume designer Daniel Lawson to provide costumes for the TV series The Good Wife.[23][24] In 2015, her Fall ready-to-wear collection was featured in Vogue.[25] In Spring 2015, she also showcased her clothing designs in the fashion film Transience at Video Fashion Week.[26] In September 2015, Zmarlak spoke at an event promoting the development of New York’s fashion industry alongside other speakers such as U.S. Representative Carolyn B. Maloney.[27][28] In 2016, Zmarlak and Keyes founded a new fashion label, KZ_K Studio.[1] In 2018, Zmarlak served as a critic at the Fashion Institute of Technology's annual fashion show.[29]

In 2022, Zmarlak and Keyes opened a new KZ_K Studio location on Great Jones Street in Manhattan.[30][31] The Great Jones Street studio officially launched on April 12, 2022.[30]

• Jesse Keyes

• Karolina Zmarlak Official Site