In 1929, she was asked to take over the Salon Moderne of Saks Fifth Avenue. In her role as lead fashion designer, she often traveled to Paris to purchase clothes from designers. She married Gimbel in 1931.Salon Moderne was not particularly successful or prestigious prior to her arrival. Gimbel designed costumes for Broadway shows to generate interest and bring in new business. She created many ready-to-wear fashions and is credited with introducing culottes (divided skirts) to the American market. Gowns designed by Gimbel were known for their simplicity, elegance, and use of expensive fabrics. She designed elegant haute couture dresses and gowns for an exclusive clientele. Gimbel designed a red coat and dress for Lady Bird Johnson to wear at Lyndon B.

Johnson's 1965 inauguration.Gimbel was featured on the cover of Time magazine on September 29, 1947.She was not the first fashion designer to appear there, having been preceded by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1934, but she was the first American designer to grace the cover. The Couture Group of the New York Dress Institute named Gimbel among the best-dressed fashion personalities of 1959.Gimbel enjoyed playing golf and skiing. She collected china dogs and raised rhododendrons and tulips. Aged 83, she died of a heart attack at Mount Sinai Hospital on November 28, 1981. Along with her husband, she is the namesake of the Adam and Sophie Gimbel Art and Design Library in New York.