By Tali Minor
A look from Zimmermann Resort RTW 2022.
Nicky Zimmermann in her Sydney design studio.
Tell us about the space where you design.
Our design studio is in Sydney, it’s a converted warehouse with lofty ceilings and whitewashed walls making the space light and airy. The oversized windows bathe the space in natural light which is always nice to work in – I love the dappled light that streams through the tree canopies in the afternoons. There are always fresh flowers and several indoor plants which are taking on a life of their own! The space is very collaborative where I engage with the team on ideas. We play with fabrics and just talk about what we want out of each look. It’s very visual—we have boards up on all the walls where inspiration images and sketches are pinned, and collections take shape.
What time of day do you find yourself the most creative and why?
It changes all the time, but I like to get to the studio early in the morning as I find that’s when I’m most focused. I like to spend the rest of the day working with our design team. We are very hands on—pinning things to garments, doing fittings together and fine-tuning garments.
A look from Zimmermann Resort RTW 2022.
As a fashion designer, you’re always thinking about the future. That can be both liberating and challenging. How do you feel about looking toward the seasons ahead?
We don’t get much rest in between seasons, but I love what I do. It’s always exciting coming up with a fresh new idea for the season ahead and seeing it take shape. The challenge is always to find ways to create something unique that our client will fall in love with and keep in her wardrobe, season after season.
And, as a brand so well known for its Resort fashion and swimwear, it’s like you’re always chasing the sun and designing for the escapes some of us are so fortunate to be able to take. And perhaps others of us live vicariously through your fashions alone. Do you consider that when designing?
The sense of fun and enjoyment clothing can give us is what is important to me in designing. As a design team we are always striving to create pieces that women will fall in love with and that are uplifting. We feel that’s at the heart of why we design the things we do. We love when women choose to wear Zimmermann for life’s special occasions and it’s nice to be connected to those times in some small way.
Photos courtesy of Zimmermann.
