Maria Elena Pombo

Teaches at New York Botanical Garden

Maria Elena Pombo founded Fragmentario in 2016 to explore natural dyes in a modern context and inspire conversations about cultural heritage and collective memory. She uses plants to color fiber for personal and commissioned work, and prioritizes the use of plants that are byproducts of other industries, such as avocado seeds and onion skins. A fashion design graduate from Parsons School of Design and former designer at Michael Kors, she has taught workshops in Italy, Spain, Germany, and NYC, and has a diverse clientele in the film, music, and design industries.