Q&A: #WRECares Partners with Designer Carolina K to Make Face Masks for Hospitals & Workers on The Front Lines

Photography by on April 1st, 2020 in #WRECares, Editorials, Lifestyle

Carolina K

Miami, FL – April 1, 2020 – Carolina K is a luxury lifestyle brand created by Argentinian Designer Carolina Kleinman in 2005 that has the mission of empowering women and supporting artisans around the globe. Carolina K has joined #WRECares to help fight COVID-19 as she is using fabrics from her past collections to make face masks to donate to hospitals and those working on the front lines.

After traveling the world with her husband and children, Carolina and her family settled in the magical town of Tepoztlan, Mexico. They continued to travel to Cusco, Peru during the developing stages of her brand, where combining the artisanal work of different cultures became the differentiating ingredient of the emerging designs. At present, Carolina and her family enjoy living in Miami, FL where she opened her design studio and store.

As a pioneer in working with communities of artisans in Latin America, the brand is known for its hand-embroidered details made authentically by artisans from remote regions of Mexico, Peru, and India. Carolina’s desire to preserve artisanal traditions is a vital part of her DNA and philosophy. At Carolina K, we are always striving to operate in the most responsible, sustainable way. It’s something that we’ve been passionate about since our early days, and we’re continuously looking for ways in which we can do better: from using fabric scraps to minimize waste, to using recycled packaging for our online orders, to supporting artisan groups across Latin America, and thinking on ways to reduce our production impact on the environment.

Read the full Q&A below to see how Carolina K is helping fight the spread of COVID-19.

Carolina K

WRE: How did you get connected with #WRECares?

CK: Through Instagram I saw what WRE was sharing, Also, Angie and Ariel from Design Lab shared the posts with me as well.

WRE: How is your company helping to fight COVID-19?

CK: At the moment, I’m using all my channels and connections to develop as many masks as possible overseas with my exciting fabrics from all my past collections. Since I have a zero waste initiative where I make one of a kind unique pieces and eye masks, I’m now using the fabric towards making face masks to donate to hospitals and those working the front lines. Also, I have joined forces in Miami with Angie and Ariel from Design Lab.

WRE: Why did you want to get involved?

CK: I’m always ready to help and give back in any way I can. This global crisis is a unique moment in history, we have to unite and be the change we want to see.

I’m always ready to help and give back in any way I can. This global crisis is a unique moment in history, we have to unite and be the change we want to see.

Carolina K

WRE: How were you able to involve your industry in the making of masks? 

CK: Since I’m in the fashion industry, I reached out to all my factories and artisans to see who can start making masks asap.

WRE: What resources do you need to help increase your production of masks? 

CK: I will let you know once I hear back from all the people I have reached out to this week!

Ariel Swedroe, Angie Cohen, & Carolina K

I’m using all my channels and connections to develop as many masks as possible overseas with my exciting fabrics from all my past collections.

Carolina K