Zoë Barbano Grinder(she/her) is a maker and mender based in Providence, RI.

Born in New York, Zoë grew up in southern Connecticut, learning to sew with her mother. As a teenager, she sewed most of her own clothes from lack of access to plus size clothing. This fundamentally shaped her relationship to sewing as a means of access. Clothes are formed for and around bodies.

She graduated with a BFA in Fibers from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In her time there, she focused on the history of color theory and heading the campus Restore. The Restore was and still is a “free store” that collects used art supplies and material for redistribution to students and the general public.

After graduation, Zoë moved to Rhode Island on a whim where she continues to sew personally and professionally from her studio in the Valley Arts District. Often she sets up at markets for “on demand mending.” While not sewing, Zoë is a nanny, baker, and avid dreamer.