Meet Korinne Zimmerman, the designer behind Zaftig Kitty and a recent graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s fashion design program. Read about her start in fashion and learn how it inspired her to begin designing for an under served market of women.
How did you get into fashion? Tell me a little about your background.
I always wanted to be a fashion designer and I learned to sew in my high school Home Ec class. Sewing my own clothes was appealing to me because it was hard for me to find the style of clothing I wanted in my size. I am tall and curvy, which meant pants were always too short and there was never enough room in the bust. In 1997 I bought my first sewing machine, a Bernina 1000, that I still sew with today. I spent many years dabbling with clothing alteration and attempting to sew commercial patterns and in 2013 I went back to school, at UNL, and majored in fashion design. Designing for the plus sized figure has been my focus since.
A sneak peek at two looks from the upcoming collection
Describe your brand and the point of view you wish to convey. What category does your brand fall under?
Zaftig Kitty is a ready to wear clothing line for women size 14-24 (sizing will be expanded in time). I start each collection by picking a color palette, and then select a variety of different patterns and textures to produce a collection of separates that can be mixed and matched to showcase the personality of the customer.
What are your personal goals or goals for your brand?
The goal of Zaftig Kitty is to provide beautiful, high quality, on trend garments for an under served group of women. My personal goal is to include pockets on as many of my garments as possible.
Past garments from Zaftig Kitty, at right is an example of a zero waste garment!
Describe your favorite project or projects that you have worked on.
I feel like my favorite project is always the one I am currently working on. The whole process of taking an idea all the way to the finished garment is magic to me and each new garment is better than the last. Figuring out how to put all the pieces together and getting to work with different fabrics is the best.
Where did you find inspiration for your new collection?
The inspiration for this collection came from a class exercise in pattern mixing. I really liked the plaid I worked with and it made me think of suiting and the collection stemmed from that.
What category or customer are you designing for?
I am designing for the plus size customer who is looking for professional and unique clothing.
Preliminary sketches for Zaftig Kitty’s upcoming collection, “Playful Professional”
Describe the collection you are creating.
This collection is called “Playful Professional” and it is a mix of business attire and eclectic accent pieces. The silhouettes are body skimming and feature princess seam lines.
What sort of design elements can we expect from you this season? What materials, colors, shapes, or patterns will you be using?
The color palette is teal, avocado green, aqua blue, baby pink, brown, and black with pops of bright pink. There are houndstooth, herringbone, and plaid patterns combined with embroidery, faux fur, velvet, and silk brocade fabrics. There will also be some one of a kind pieces made from vintage textiles.
In what ways is this collection similar or different than your past work?
This collection is a departure from my past work. The vivid colors and bold patterns are something new for me.
To learn more about Korinne and her work, visit her website and follow along on Facebook and Instagram as she continues to prepare for the runway this August.