Maria Cornejo was born in Chile and moved to England with her family when she was a child. She now lives with her husband, the photographer Mark Borthwick and their two children in Brooklyn, New York.
Maria's varied career spans London, Paris, Milan and Tokyo where she was part of the ground-breaking design partnership Richmond Cornejo; developed her own signature "Maria Cornejo" collection; and worked as a creative consultant for major retailers like Joseph, Tehen and Jigsaw.
In 1996, Maria and her family moved to New York where in 1997, she transformed a raw space in Nolita into a highly creative atelier and store. Her uncompromising and very personal approach has gained her a loyal following and high praise from clients like Tilda Swinton, Michelle Williams and Cindy Sherman. It has been said of her work - "In Maria Cornejo's hands, minimalism is not a bland word . . . her clothes have a sleek sophistication and always a sense of surprise."
Having been a finalist for the Fashion Prize of the 2005 Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards, Maria Cornejo was honored as the winner of the award for 2006. In May 2006 Zero Maria Cornejo opened its second store in New York's far- West Village neighborhood.
The Zero + Maria Cornejo collection is presented bi-annually during New York Fashion Week and in Milan and Paris.