Caroline Zimbalist
Born 1997 · Age 28
Artist and fashion designer who hand-creates one-of-a-kind wearable sculptures using bioplastics and nontraditional materials; BFA Fashion (Parsons ’19); exhibited and featured in multiple magazines; presented AW25 collection blending bioplastics and conventional textiles.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth (estimated)
Estimated birth year based on BFA class year (Parsons BFA '19) and typical graduation age.
Began painting and sketching
Started painting and sketching at approximately three years old, an early start to her artistic practice.
Formal early art practice begins
Reportedly studied painting, illustrating and sculpting since age four.
Early fashion interest in childhood
From first grade she meticulously picked outfits and developed a strong personal sense of style.
Art and fashion merging in high school
During high school she began merging painting and fashion in her thinking and projects.
Enrolled at Parsons School of Design (BFA Fashion)
Began undergraduate studies at Parsons pursuing a BFA in Fashion Design (class of '19).
First notable bioplastic-like experiment (acrylic pouring)
Spilled acrylic paint pouring medium, peeled the dried layer and discovered it could drape like fabric — an origin moment for homemade textiles.
Study abroad at Central Saint Martins
Spent junior year studying at Central Saint Martins in London; took an experimental knitwear course that shaped material experimentation.
Experimental knitwear course inspiration
Experimental knitwear course at Central Saint Martins opened her eyes to ultra-modern, untraditional textile techniques.
Professor introduces bioplastics concept
A professor asked if she'd heard of bioplastics, prompting her to research and experiment with bioplastic recipes.
Created first working bioplastic recipes
After research she fashioned several homemade bioplastic recipes and began iterative experiments, cooking components on her household stove.
Internship with Gaetano Pesce (approx.)
Reported interning experiences and exposure to avant-garde practitioners such as Gaetano Pesce during training years.
Parsons graduation advice moment
Recalled guest speaker at Parsons graduation who said ‘you will hear constant no’s… and then one day you hear a yes’—a formative lesson.
Began freelancing and working in NYC fashion
Started freelance work and took a designer role at a NYC-based clothing line (reports indicate she currently works at a NYC line).
Began selling/packing orders with family support
Started producing orders; mother helped pack orders and father assisted with deliveries — early business operations backed by family.
Graduated Parsons School of Design (BFA Fashion)
Earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design, class of 2019 (New School / Parsons alum profile).
Experimentation continues: cooking pigments and sculpting
Refined bioplastic processes: cooking mixtures on stove, making pigments, heating, draping over mannequins, controlling drying conditions.
Faced challenges with majority-bioplastic garments
Reported that fully bioplastic functional garments presented major technical challenges (warping, shrinking, comfort); some pieces take 2–3 weeks.
Featured on Surface (profile/listing)
Featured on Surface website/profile as an artist/designer working with bioplastic sculpture and wearable art (Surface listing).
Announced plans for larger sculptures and gallery work
Stated intention to create much larger, museum/gallery-scale sculptures inspired by futuristic house plants; planning collaborations and possible shows.
Collaboration with Elena Velez (bio-material 'wet' dresses)
Collaborated with designer Elena Velez on a series of bio-material, 'wet' dresses — described as a recent collaboration in interviews.
Office Magazine feature: 'Caroline Zimbalist’s Dream World'
In-depth interview and studio visit published Mar 15, 2023; discussed bioplastic process, inspirations, early life, and collaborations (e.g., Elena Velez).
New School alumni profile published
Featured in New School news (Nov 2023) as BFA Fashion Design '19 creating wearable sculptures and objects.
Freelance and studio routine solidified
Reported balancing freelance remote work with 2–3 hours daily studio practice; continued outreach, research, and website updates.
Public profile: multiple magazine features
By 2025 she has been profiled in Office Magazine, Metal Magazine, Surface, New School, and New Wave — building a growing public profile.
Personal: owns three rescue dogs
Public interviews note she owns three rescue dogs, an element of her personal life that influences values and sustainability views.
New Wave Magazine profile of AW25 collection
New Wave (NYFW AW25 review) wrote about her transition from purely artistic pieces to wearable, multi-dimensional designs (Feb 14, 2025).
Positioning bioplastics for mainstream fashion
AW25 and interviews position bioplastics not just as sustainable tokens but as beautiful, desirable textiles for broader industry adoption.
Ongoing collaborations and public-facing projects planned
Announced continued collaboration strategy: open to creators at many levels but chooses repeat partners for kindness and alignment.
Launch of sculpted accessories and bioplastic buttons
AW25 introduced sculpted accessories including bioplastic buttons and collaborations on bioplastic shoes and rings.
NYFW AW25 collection presented/reviewed
AW25 collection reviewed (NYFW AW25). Collection blends moulded bioplastic elements with traditional textiles; featured sculpted accessories and bioplastic buttons.
Ambition: full fashion show and international exhibitions (stated goal)
Has stated ambitions to put on a full fashion show and to expand to international exhibitions and larger-scale works in the coming years.
Key Achievement Ages
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