Karolina Zmarlak

{{Infobox person

| name = Karolina Zmarlak

| image = Karolina Zmarlak.jpg

| alt =

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|10|15}}

| birth_place = Krosno, Poland

| death_date =

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| citizenship = {{hlist|Poland|United States}}

| other_names =

| education = Fashion Institute of Technology

| occupation = Fashion designer

| years_active =

| label_name = {{plainlist|

Karolina Zmarlak
KZ_K Studio

}}

| awards = Gen Art Styles Award for Eveningwear (2005)

}}

Karolina Zmarlak (born October 15, 1982) is a Polish-American fashion designer. She is known for founding the fashion company KZ_K Studio.{{Cite web |date=6 January 2021 |title=How Covid-19 helped Karolina Zmarlak reclaim the soul of her fashion company |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/how-covid-19-helped-karolina-zmarlak-reclaim-soul-her-fashion-ncna1253005 |access-date=2021-07-08 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

Early life and education

Zmarlak was born in Poland. She immigrated to Chicago in 1992 through the Diversity Visa (DV) program. She was inspired to become a clothing designer after taking her first sewing class in high school. Zmarlak attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.{{Cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Rob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LeAWBgAAQBAJ&q=karolina+zmarlak+poland+1992&pg=PT77 |title=Big Data Revolution: What farmers, doctors and insurance agents teach us about discovering big data patterns |last2=McSharry |first2=Patrick |date=2015-01-05 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-94372-4 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hathorn |first=Abby |date=2013-05-05 |title=VIP Interview: Renowned Polish Designer, Karolina Zmarlak |url=https://vintageinspiredpassionista.com/2013/05/05/vip-interview-renowned-polish-designer-karolina-zmarlak/ |access-date=2021-07-08 |language=en}} While in college, she was awarded the Gen Art Styles Award for evening wear in 2005.{{Cite web|title=Stories: SPAIN AND UK WIN BIG AT GEN ART|url=https://www.the-spin-off.com/news/stories/SPAIN-AND-UK-WIN-BIG-AT-GEN-ART-221|access-date=2021-07-08|website=the-spin-off.com|language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://wwd.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/05/issue-81575.pdf |title= WWD|last= |first= |date=May 19, 2005 |website= wwd.com|access-date=2021-07-24}}

Career

Zmarlak began her career in the fashion industry by interning at the fashion brands Theory and Carolina Herrera.{{Cite web |date=17 March 2010 |title=Karolina Zmarlak Is Reinventing the Concept of Convertible Wear |url=https://www.thecut.com/2010/03/talent_scout_7.html |access-date=2021-07-08 |website=The Cut |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Klein |first=Alyssa Vingan |date=6 March 2015 |title=Karolina Zmarlak Is a Label to Watch |url=https://fashionista.com/2015/03/karolina-zmarlak-interview |access-date=2021-07-08 |website=Fashionista |language=en}}{{Cite magazine|last=Pieri|first=Kerry|date=2014-06-11|title=Brand Watch: Karolina on My Mind|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-designers/karolina-zmarlak-interview|access-date=2021-07-08|magazine=Harper's BAZAAR|language=en-US}} After graduating from college, she partnered with Jesse Keyes to launch her eponymous fashion label Karolina Zmarlak in 2009{{Cite web|title=Designer profile : Karolina Zmarlak|url=http://theunlimitedmag.com/designer-profile/2014/11/4/designer-profile-karolina-zmarlak|access-date=2021-07-08|website=THE UNLIMITED Magazine, Interactive Quarterly for Art, Music and Fashion.|date=7 November 2014 |language=en-US}} which launched its first clothing collection, Fluid Foundations, through the stores Takashimaya and Eva.{{Cite web|last=ELLE|date=2009-07-17|title=Designer Karolina Zmarlak Celebrates with M.A.C|url=https://www.elle.com/news/shop/designer-karolina-zmarlak-celebrates-mac-2372|access-date=2021-07-08|website=ELLE|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2009-11-11|title=The Many Shapes of Karolina Zmarlak|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/the-many-shapes-of-karolina-zmarlak|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Interview Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Elizabeth|date=2009-02-26|title=Karolina Zmarlak|url=https://stylecaster.com/karolina-zmarlak-3/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=StyleCaster|language=en-US}} In 2011, she collaborated with Belvedere Vodka on the fashion film Double Identity.{{Cite web|date=2011-04-16|title=Double Identity: Karolina Zmarlak F/W 2011 by Matt Kliegman|url=https://trendland.com/double-identity-karolina-zmarlak-fw-2011/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=TRENDLAND {{!}} Online Trend News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Rankin|first=Nina Westervelt/MCV Photo,Seija|title=Karolina Zmarlak - NYC Studio And Showroom|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/karolina-zmarlak|access-date=2021-07-08|website=www.refinery29.com|language=en}} In 2013, Saks Fifth Avenue began carrying her clothing collections.{{Cite web|last=Silver|first=Dena|date=2014-08-07|title=Karolina Zmarlak On Her Fifth Year In Business And Her Fall Collection|url=https://fashionweekdaily.com/karolina-zmarlak-fifth-year-business-fall-collection/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Daily Front Row|language=en}} In 2014, she became one of the first recipients of the New York City Fashion Production Fund because she produced her clothes in the Garment district.{{Cite news|last=Feitelberg|first=Rosemary|date=2015-06-23|title=NYC Fashion Production Fund Awards Six Loans|language=en-US|work=WWD|url=https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/nyc-fashion-production-fund-awards-six-grants-10165410/|access-date=2021-07-08}}{{Cite web|date=2014-09-03|title=Fact Sheet: Celebrating and Supporting New York City's Fashion Industry|url=http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/858-14/fact-sheet-celebrating-supporting-new-york-city-s-fashion-industry|access-date=2021-07-08|website=The official website of the City of New York}}

In 2015, Zmarlak collaborated with costume designer Daniel Lawson to provide costumes for the TV series The Good Wife.{{Cite web|last1=Chan|first1=Stephanie|date=2016-05-06|title='The Good Wife' Costume Designer Recalls Series' Favorite Fashion Moments|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/good-wife-series-finale-costume-891248/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=The Good Wife: Alicia's Black-and-White Jacket|url=https://www.instyle.com/news/good-wife-work-outfit-inspo-week-rock-new-classic|access-date=2021-07-08|website=InStyle|language=en}} In 2015, her Fall ready-to-wear collection was featured in Vogue.{{Cite web|last=Farra|first=Emily|title=Karolina Zmarlak Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear Collection|url=https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2015-ready-to-wear/karolina-zmarlak|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Vogue|date=17 March 2015|language=en-US}} In Spring 2015, she also showcased her clothing designs in the fashion film Transience at Video Fashion Week.{{Cite web|title=Karolina Zmarlak: Spring 2015 Video Fashion Week|url=https://www.vogue.com/video/watch/karolina-zmarlak-spring-2015-video-fashion-week|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Vogue|language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite news|last=Palmieri|first=Rosemary Feitelberg,Jean E.|date=2015-09-14|title=New York Fashion Week Generates $900 Million for NYC|language=en-US|work=WWD|url=https://wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/new-york-fashion-week-economic-impact-carolyn-maloney-10223460/|access-date=2021-07-08}}{{Cite web|date=2015-02-12|title=Pols cheer Fashion Week's impact on city's economy|url=https://town-village.com/2015/02/12/fashion-week/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Town & Village|language=en-US}} In 2016, Zmarlak and Keyes founded a new fashion label, KZ_K Studio. In 2018, Zmarlak served as a critic at the Fashion Institute of Technology's annual fashion show.{{Cite web|date=2019-03-06|title=2018 Critics|url=https://fashionshow.fitnyc.edu/2018-archive/2018-critics/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=The Future of Fashion - Fashion Institute of Technology|language=en-US}}

In 2022, Zmarlak and Keyes opened a new KZ_K Studio location on Great Jones Street in Manhattan.{{Cite web |last=Feitelberg |first=Rosemary |date=2022-03-31 |title=KZ_K Studio Readies New SoHo Space |url=https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/kz_k-studio-readies-new-soho-space-1235146821/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |website=WWD |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fraser |first=Kristopher |date=2022-04-19 |title=KZ_K Studio opens new Manhattan studio |url=https://fashionunited.com/news/retail/kz-k-studio-opens-new-manhattan-studio/2022041947160 |access-date=2022-06-20 |website=FashionUnited |language=en}} The Great Jones Street studio officially launched on April 12, 2022.