KZK Studio | Karolina Zmarlak

I dived deeper into this brand after attending this compelling, sexy, artistry, and sophisticated event last night. Everything was so sexy, and well chosen, from the scented candles they lit to the flowers they used to accentuate the intoxicating energy in the venue.

THE BRAND

Founded by Polish-born fashion designer, Karolina Zmarlak and her business and life partner, architect, and entrepreneur Jesse Keyes, this NYC-based brand is based on the tenets of modernism. KZ_K Studio extols the use of technologically advanced materials integrated into a purely functional form for maximum efficiency and versatility, minimizing excess and maximizing utility, resulting in a light, refined, and essentially minimal product form.

BRAND PILLARS

1. Design Discipline

   1. Multi-form for multi-functionality

   2. Technically developed mechanisms for reversibility and convertibility

   3. Advanced fabrics to support this discipline

   4. Integrability via modernist aesthetic consistent across collections

2. Architectural Studio Mentality

   1. Technical Capacity

   2. Aesthetic Coherence

   3. Concept Driven

   4. Client Dialogue leads to an understanding of their needs

3. Slow Fashion

   1. Sustainable approach to production

   2. Minimize intermediaries

   3. Creates trust and reliability

   4. Pay fair prices for livable wages

   5. Design with integrity

   6. Lifetime of use

4. Rear View Innovation

   1. Don’t pretend to create radical newness

   2. Flipped the script to make a studio-mediated

   3. Product-based purposefulness

   4. Is it mass scalable? No, it has a desirable economy

HISTORY

January 1, 2009
Karolina Zmarlak’s eponymous label launched January 1, 2009 and followed the traditional wholesale model, with seasonal presentations. Karolina studied tailoring at FIT, graduating with honors while winning the Gen Art Styles competition. She began a private custom business prior to the 2008 Great Recession, focusing on specialty pieces that were made-to-order. Karolina infused tailoring specialization, technique and particular modern minimalist ideals into each piece. That concept evolved into the eponymous Karolina Zmarlak label, a women’s RTW collection that was launched in collaboration 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-uses that would translate into real value in the time of a recession. The Karolina Zmarlak collection was mainly sold through boutiques and department stores (Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, in the Premier Designer Category). Karolina Zmarlak was coerced by top industry publications including Vogue.com, Style.com, Harper's Bazaar, Business of Fashion and WWD.

Relaunch as KZ_K Studio
January 1, 2016
The company re-launched as KZ_K Studio with a new name, a new structure to the design process and segmented merchandising. The focus is now on direct client relationships and sales with a much smaller share (less than 30% of sales) with wholesale/retailer-based partnerships. KZ_K is now conceived as a studio, such as an architect or an interior design firm, in which the long-term client relationship is most important and direct contact and creative experience with the client is most valued. Since the rebranding of KZ_K Studio, the direct client database has grown from 50 clientele to over 1000.

Opening of KZ_K Studio Great Jones Street
April 12, 2022
With a continued focus on direct client relationships and creating surprising, unique, personalized, engaging, and repeatable experiences for those clients, KZ_K Studio launches the new Great Jones Street location. A spatially diversified place, the studio boasts a designer showroom, a number of artist collaboration pieces (including w/ sculptor Alex Roskin and G/L/O), a beautiful library bar, a kitchen nook, a design room and a rooftop.