DESIGNER OF THE DAY

Designer of the Day: Caroline Zimbalist

With nontraditional techniques at the intersection of fashion, science, and engineering, Caroline Zimbalist transforms raw materials into ethereal objects such as tabletop planters and sartorial accoutrements that conjure the appearance of textiles frozen in time. Each one-of-a-kind piece is inflected with biomimicry to emphasize nature’s dominance, riffing on how humans have irreversibly altered the world while forecasting those implications on the future.

With nontraditional techniques at the intersection of fashion, science, and engineering, Caroline Zimbalist transforms raw materials into ethereal objects such as tabletop planters and sartorial accoutrements that conjure the appearance of textiles frozen in time. Each one-of-a-kind piece is inflected with biomimicry to emphasize nature’s dominance, riffing on how humans have irreversibly altered the world while forecasting those implications on the future.

Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.

Age: 23

Occupation: Designer/artist.

Instagram: @carolinezimbalist 

Hometown: Long Island.

Studio location: Flatiron/Chelsea.

Describe what you make: Lamps, planters, and home decor made from biomaterials.

The most important thing you’ve designed to date: I created/donated a sconce for a Korean BBQ restaurant in my neighborhood during the pandemic. Seeing how appreciative and happy the owners were (moved to tears) returned my appreciation for the universality of art.

Describe the problem your work solves: Keeping me from being admitted to the psych ward. In other words, it scratches my itch.

Describe the project you are working on now: I’m working on some custom pieces for a store/gallery in Lebanon, and working with a few floral designers to create arrangements in my planters. 

A new or forthcoming project we should know about: My new Water Collection of planters coming soon for 12-thirteen in London.

What you absolutely must have in your studio: My Nespresso machine.

What you do when you’re not working: I like to go for a run.

Sources of creative envy: I’ve admired and been continually inspired by Iris Van Herpen.

The distraction you want to eliminate: Envy.

Concrete or marble? Marble x10.

High-rise or townhouse? Townhouse.

Remember or forget? Remember (everyone forgets; some remember).

Aliens or ghosts? Ghosts.

Dark or light? Light, but ask me on a different day and my answer may change.

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