Pioneering Designer Caroline Zimbalist Transforms Fashion with Bioplastics
Caroline Zimbalist, a renowned US designer, entrepreneur, and pioneer of sustainable fashion, has been working with biomaterials since 2018. Her journey began at Parsons, where she discovered her passion for creating unique garments using innovative materials.
Zimbalist's favorite project so far has been crafting Chappell Roan's Garden of Eden dress using bioplastics. However, she faces challenges in blending innovative textures and materials with traditional garments, such as maintaining shape, fit, and durability. She finds inspiration in nature and unexpected places like restaurant food presentation.
Color and texture are crucial in Zimbalist's art, evoking emotions and expressing her fantasy world. Her interest in biomaterials stems from their artistic versatility compared to synthetic materials. She aims to influence the fashion industry's relationship with sustainable materials by presenting biomaterials as couture or art.
Creating sculptural art pieces differs from wearable pieces due to mixture variations and durability considerations. Zimbalist's FW25 collection integrates bio embellishments onto ready-to-wear garments and creates prints and motifs with bioplastic. Unexpected results and accidents in her creative process have led to new techniques and designs, such as her jewelry line.
Caroline Zimbalist's commitment to sustainable fashion has made a significant impact. Her notable initiative, 'The Green Room', showcased the potential of bioplastics in fashion. Her work continues to inspire designers worldwide to explore and utilize sustainable, biodegradable materials.
