SWAN ⁄ Kryštof Bača
The white silhouette of the corset features elegant curves of a swan. When I put on my model, all eyes are on me. I can imagine how to feel in this extravagant costume, how to interpret it, I am able to put myself in the role. Originally, I intended the corset to be for women but eventually I wear it myself. It invokes dramatic feelings in me. I am in the center of attention; I want to show off because I am suddenly more confident. This attire creates space to find out who I am.
Designer: Kryštof Bača
Photography: Tatiana Zvolská, Stanislav Palát
Designer: Šárka Zejdová
Photography: Stanislav Palát
HARVEST ⁄ Šárka Zejdová
Having a harvest is a rap metaphor for success. Celebrities, glitz, having it all without need to work, all that as opposed to the slow manual transformation of straw into gold. I did the model as a silent protest against the fast lifestyle. First I had to sort the straw out, and strip each straw of its husk to reveal the gold.
After that I soaked it to get the desired shades. Each strip of straw glued or sewn on the fabric had to be first cut and then ironed. People do not understand the process can be so lengthy and fragile when everything around is so technical and fast.
Designer: Šárka Zejdová
Photography: Stanislav Palát
Designer: Anna Ryšánková
Photography: Viktorie Macánová
BUTTERFLY CYCLE ⁄ Anna Ryšánková
A white dress offers endless varieties; I enjoy working with pure white. It all started in the past – whenever I was asked to make a dress, it was always a wedding dress. This journey is close to my heart. I honestly wanted to include the feelings of love, happiness and harmony.
My dad is an entomologist and when I pinned fabric swatches on the mood board, they resembled butterfly wings. When presented on the catwalk, the dress looks rather abstract since it incorporates the shape of a chrysalis, that organic crinkle. I like to use sophisticated shapes, but I want to preserve the feel of a classic dress underneath.
Designer: Anna Ryšánková
Photography: Viktorie Macánová
Designer: Barbora Fialová
Photography: Stanislav Palát
SHOES OFF ⁄ Barbora Fialová
I wanted to step out of my comfort zone with a metallic dress, and treat myself to an interesting experience of wearing it. I spent in it an evening at a ball, walking around, drinking, and taking pictures of myself. I interacted with other people. One gentleman was worried that I would threaten him with the metal, while the women appreciated the extravagance.
It brings an interesting feeling to be taken out of the context and perceive the whispering, smiles, consternation. Now I am planning to take new photos of the dress in the scrapyard. It is a write off. It was the goal to have the dress naturally pressed on my body, let it be affected by the evening's events. The dress can never regain its original shape; it has taken on a life of its own.
Designer: Barbora Fialová
Photography: Stanislav Palát
Designer: Tereza Fodorová
Photography: Tatiana Zvolská
MAKE IT YOUR OWN – one dress, many special occasions ⁄ Tereza Fodorová
When I imagine a dress that a woman wears only once and never again, I do not like it. It does not make sense. I see this feeling as the most important thing in my project. My model holds five or six various outfits. If you have a problem with the neckline, you wear it on your back. Black velvet stripes look plain on white from the distance, but if you take a closer look, you can see the three–dimensional structure. Combining red and black velvet gives it the purity of Art Deco graphics. I wanted to attain a glitter effect and I remembered the traditional Czech embroidery using fish scales. The shoes are decorated with scales from a Christmas carp which I washed, pressed and cleaned. There is a nice parallel to the garment since the scales were originally embroidered on velvet.
INNER CHAOS ⁄ Daniela Smolařová
Only a few people stand on the red carpet for themselves. Finding myself was the theme I felt the need to express. To use the chaos I feel inside me. The quilting motif stems from my desire to grasp my own identity. I used a square of fabric as the basic cut and kept enlarging it.
Designer: Daniela Smolařová
Photography: Viktorie Macánová
Designer: Daniela Smolařová
Photography: Viktorie Macánová
The principle is based on the fact that the purity of the shape is deformed by crumpling of the fabric creating volume. The white dress stitched and tightened with black thread shows how not to get tangled and lost on the way to oneself. The black square shawl folded like origami expresses the courage to simply be yourself.
NIGHTINGALE AND ROSE ⁄ Kateřina Puchmertlová
It is a dress but also a story about the sacrifice that has to be made to create something ideal and beautiful. How painful are the preparations we go through in order to be perfect. The construction around the body symbolizes the nightingale's song sung to a beautiful rose. It is a metaphor of music that is strongest near the heart and gradually fades away outwards.
Designer: Kateřina Puchmertlová
Photography: Stanislav Palát
Designer: Kateřina Puchmertlová
Photography: Stanislav Palát
The red print on the edges, on the other hand, seems to have sucked in the pain, not allowing it to spread towards the center. And on the top, like a bud, there is a light jacket which can be worn just on its own.
THE ARTIST’S LAST ART PIECE BEFORE LEAVING ⁄ Tomáš Višňovský
I materialized the notion of my favourite artist Marina Abramović´s last performance. I had some clues as she had already, to a certain extent, orchestrated her departure from this world. I have been fascinated by the way she describes it, and I felt as if I was not preparing a collection but translating her visions into 3D. Three models for three Marinas living in three different towns at different times were born.
Designer: Tomáš Višňovský
Photography: Samuel Alexander Petráš
Designer: Tomáš Višňovský
Photography: Samuel Alexander Petráš
The Warrior Marina in a raw sculptural costume in Belgrade, the infantile Bullshit Marina with a yellow scarf and a coat for girls in Amsterdam, the Spiritual Marina with her head veiled like a babushka in New York. In a way, I satisfied in advance my curiosity about what Marina Abramović´s "last piece of art" would look like.
DE LA POMPA ⁄ Václav Černý
The DE LA POMPA clothing collection draws its inspiration from the Renaissance dress codes of the Spanish court under the rule of the Habsburgs. I created a great part of the collection on a hand knitting machine, as knitwear is typical of my work. Renaissance silhouettes are loosely interpreted into contemporary garments portraying my view of the grand lavishness, in contrast to the delicacy of knitwear and a semi–nude body. The Spanish Renaissance is also enhanced by the typical dark colour. The individual models underline the beauty of slender feminity and provide the wearer with the sense of grandeur with a touch of coquetry.
Designer: Tomáš Višňovský
Photography: Tatiana Zvolská
Designer: Hana Valtová
Photography: Viktorie Macánová
DANDIZETTE ⁄ Hana Valtová
My creation is based on dandy style, but when I did deep research, I came across the women's groups Quaintrelle and Dandizette. I am interested in the highest form of tailoring, and I associated that with their typical dressing difficulty. Their interest in fashion showed in their absurd way of putting on too many garments and care for themselves.
I combined a corset bodice with a tailcoat and completed it with a garter belt. Padding and support underwear were a common part of attire those days. The model seems to be incomplete as I wanted to show the difficult atmosphere of preparations.
Designer: Hana Valtová
Photography: Viktorie Macánová
Designer: Alica Grebáčová
Photography: Tatiana Zvolská
WHO’S THE GOD ⁄ Alica Grebáčová
I am looking for a parallel between ancient deities and celebrities. Only gods were allowed to walk the red carpet. I am looking around to see who the modern god is. I take inspiration from beauty ideals, mixing feminine and masculine elements.
The leather corset is modelled in the shape of a six–pack. I wanted to achieve the contrast between the sculpted body and masterful soft drapery.
Designer: Alica Grebáčová
Photography: Tatiana Zvolská
Designer: Valerie Vrbová
Photography: Samuel Alexander Petráš
HAPSEN ⁄ Valerie Vrbová
I see the future as lonely, overwhelming and oblivious to humans. This collection is meant to show that the future is about connection and harmony, mutual help and empathy. A shared journey is the only way.
The HapSen project aims to enable the blind to "see" their garments using haptic perception. Textured traditional textile motifs serve the wearer to better imagine the patterns they are wearing, enabling them to create their own style and image. The collection made up of both women’s and men’s designs, seeks inspiration in the Japanese philosophy of wabi—sabi. Its core idea of beauty in imperfection refers to stories of people who, despite their "handicap", can live their best lives. I sense here a certain twilight, and intimacy of touch in connection with nature.
Designer: Valerie Vrbová
Photography: Samuel Alexander Petráš
