Karolina Zmarlak’s Polish origins have had a clear impact on her work as a designer. Her astute tailoring often alludes to communism - a subject that the designer notes to exert great influence on her. Winner of Gen Art’s Styles Award for Eveningwear in 2005, Zmarlak’s pieces embody subtle luxury while also being extremely versatile. Her made-to-measure background gives all of her pieces an extremely personal touch.
Read ahead for the conversation we had with Karolina after her SS 2012 presentation.
How did you break into this industry?
My partner and I were travelling home after the holidays following the roughest financial crash in our life, and we understood that now was the time to conceptualize a line that spoke to the times (recessionist), incorporated my design experience (made to measure), and was light yet infused with quality. We came up with a ready-to-wear model based on customizable attributes, which had a custom feel, and the value of wearing each piece in several different ways. Beginning with a few pieces, we expanded the collection, collaborated with LuLu Frost and held our first fashion presentation in Spring of 2009 for our FW09 line.
Where do you see your brand fitting into the luxury market?
We design from the perspective of Eastern European architectural austerity infused with New York fantasy. I grew up in Poland before coming to the states at the age of 10. Those Eastern European roots have affected my design sense by having a heightened appreciation for details. Because most of my surroundings growing up were minimalist, when I did see details based in quality, such as how my uncle would handcraft a wooden table, or how my father would design and tend to his garden, I was all the more appreciative of the essentials of design. We believe that our work gels with an independent, self sustained, powerful and globalized woman who sees clothing as an extension of her communicate force: structured, quality, design with a wink to flirtatiousness.
What do you do besides design clothes?
I love watching Mika Brzezinski on “Morning Joe,” she rocks the politics with feminine force.
Where can we find you on a Saturday night? On a Monday night?
At Hotel Griffou, my business parter Jesse Keyes’ restaurant.
Paris or New York?
New York until I can also live in Paris.
Dream person you would want to dress?
Tilda Swinton
Dream collaboration?
David Byrne
Theme song to your life?
“IMMIGRANT SONG” by LED ZEPPELIN
Favorite artist?
Roman Polanski
What do you think defines a cult figure/brand/designer ?
A relevant designer must first understand the tides of global cultural change, then create products which dialogue intensely with these currents, and finally have their creations be so tapped into socio-cultural transformations that they influence what comes next.
Tell us a little but about “Double Identity”? What inspired you to make a fashion video?
Our clothing is architectural in its construction, so the setting becomes a visual to play off the sense that her clothing is housing. Then the narrative is to be free to explore the relationships of power, individuality and sex via the body and its back and forth with the architecture of the clothing. There are few taboos left, but sex is a never ending struggle between the body and culture. In our case, the clothing is the language of culture that the woman uses to get her point across. The most basic of needs derived from the original technologies: housing (architecture) and clothing (Karolina) empower and ultimately manipulate a woman’s will to power. The film aims to guide the viewer: how do the pieces of clothing push these possibilities?
Our inspiration here – Women of Communism – challenged a woman’s individuality with her own reality to imagine and recreate. One of communism’s basic tenants was to create a socialist equalizing of all classes: the stripped down nature of the time was emblematic of this societal goal, and very particular individuals fought against it. Women in this environment pushed to search for means of expression and humanism.
