Václav Mlynář is one of the most successful product designers and creative directors. He graduated from the Product Design Studio under Michal Froňek and Jan Němeček at the UMPRUM in Prague, and holds a Master's degree in Product Design from the Royal College of Art in London. His international experience comes from Great Britain, Denmark and the United States. In the following interview, we focus on these experiences.

Why did you choose UMPRUM in the Product Design Studio of Michal Froňek and Jan Němeček for your studies?

Ever since I was a kid, I've had a tendency to "design" various go-karts and tweaks, so I've always been fascinated by product design. Even as a small child I used to go to UMPRUM with my mother Lucie, who studied and then worked at the school, for classes, diplomas and openings, and I was always most interested in the Product Design Studio. Jan and Michal definitely played a big role in my decision. I always admired their work and I think it influenced me a lot.  

What was your reason for a long-term stay abroad?

I've always tried to take advantage of foreign exchange trips, even during my high school years I went to the USA. I think the experience of a different environment is the best school you can get. That's why I immediately applied for Erasmus at UMPRUM and went to Copenhagen, and eventually went to study and work in London. But I also took advantage of two internships directly at UMPRUM, at the Studio of Furniture and Interior Design with Jiří Pelc, and with Eva Eisler at Atelier K. O. V., which was also a great experience.

You studied in London at the prestigious Royal College of Art. Did you find any differences in pedagogical guidance or in comparison to the student body?

At the Royal College of Art I was really lucky to have great teachers and classmates who were incredibly eye-opening and broadened my view of design and what it can encompass. A lot of this was due to the fact I was enrolled in a studio that tackled topics I hadn't even thought about before. We were trying to find answers to the questions of how to bring products and services from the digital world of our phones back to a physical, haptic reality. It was extremely interesting. But the biggest difference I saw was the motivation of the students to get the most out of school. You could say that we almost lived at school and outside of school we just went to sleep. It was very intense but great.

How did your long-term stay in London influence you and what experiences did you take away?

It certainly broadened my horizons and showed me what it is like to live in such a cosmopolitan city surrounded by all the cultures of the world. Besides, the stay pushed me further linguistically. The London stay showed me, among other things, how nice and simple, if a bit boring, it is to live in Prague.

Could you now describe the view of foreign designers or investors on contemporary Czech design?

I'm certainly not an expert on this topic, but I generally don't like using the term "Czech design". My experience abroad has taught me that if one wants to, it is quite easy to design not only for Czech but for all European companies. Thanks to the European Union, there are no obstacles in this direction. But to answer, Czech design depends a lot on Czech companies and their courage to invest in design and development. Even though this is constantly improving, many companies still do not realise that without quality design and innovation they have no chance of surviving in today's competition in the future.

As a designer, do you perceive any regional boundaries, either in terms of design thinking or purely practical barriers to the realisation of commissions? For example, has your professional attitude towards the UK changed post-Brexit in terms of exhibiting or working with clients?

I already answered this a bit above. I do not perceive borders if we are talking about the European Union, because there are practically none for my profession. Brexit is unfortunately a very sad thing that has re-created the border and made both job and business opportunities very difficult for both sides. In our studio, we are not even working on any projects in the UK at the moment.

Do you have any international collaboration or exhibition planned now?

I handle international exhibitions mainly through the Bomma glassworks, where I work as creative director. Right now we are working on an exhibition stand for the Salone del Mobile in Milan next year. We are also working on smaller trade fairs in other countries, and presentations with our partners. It's an interesting job when you look around the world. For example, a few years ago I was in Tokyo, where we presented Bomma on the Japanese market, and now I am planning a trip to Miami.

01   Institut Paměti národa
spolupráce: Post Bellum, 3dsense
foto: Marek Volf

02   Nike Ice Hockey
spolupráce: Jakub Pollág
foto: Martin Chum

03   Laboratoř Svět bez kouře
spolupráce: 3dsense, Matúš Opálka
foto: Petr Klapper

04   prezentace Kaplan Nábytek Designblok
foto: Pavol Bigos

05   Zig Zag police pro HEM

06   Koski Game
spolupráce: Jakub Pollág
foto: Nikola Zelmanovic

07   Transmission, collection for lasvit
spolupráce: Jakub Pollág
foto: Martin Chum

08   Lens pro BOMMU
spolupráce: Jakub Pollág
foto: Martin Chum

09   aukční lahev Pilsner Urquell

10   koncept houpacího koně pro TON
foto: Denisa Řepková

Václav Mlynář is a designer, and creative director currently based in Prague. He also has studied and had professional experience abroad in Great Britain, Denmark, and the United States of America. He holds a master's degree in product design from the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague, and the Royal College of Art in London. Between 2011-2020 he was part of the award-winning deFORM studio together with Jakub Pollág. He then continued with independent projects and the founding of the creative studio MONUMENT Office. Since 2017 he has been the creative director of the glass company Bomma. He is the recipient of two Czech Grand Design awards, two international EDIDA design awards, and others.

Interview conducted by Tereza Škvárová

Rozhovory s úspěšnými absolventkami a absolventy UMPRUM vznikly v rámci projektu Rozehrané priority českého předsednictví, podpořeného Centralizovanými rozvojovými projekty MŠMT ČR.