THE DESIGNERS
The Fashion Design Studio of the Faculty of Multimedia Communications at Tomas Bata University in Zlín presents a curatorial selection of this year's graduate collections by students of both bachelor's and master's programs, which connect current resonating themes with the personal stories of the authors, emphasizing quality and craftsmanship.
TOMAS BATA UNIVERSITY IN ZLÍN, FASHION DESIGN STUDIO:
Ema Strnadová
Pavel Mikliš
Terezie Kožíková
Tereza Helánová
Alexandra Vlková
Rozálie Zervanová
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF LIBEREC:
Zuzana Veselá
THE COLLECTIONS
The presented collections cover a wide range of topics. One of them draws inspiration from the culture of the indigenous people of the Americas, whose symbolism, spiritual depth, and emphasis on traditional craftsmanship are reflected in the garment as a carrier of identity and social status.
Another collection balances between reality and fiction – inspired by the aesthetics of art horror films from the 20th century, it captures the body as an object of beauty and unease and combines fashion design with costume creation, linking a simple crime story with the motif of a murder.
A completely different approach is offered by a work that explores the motif of polka dots as a visual and structural element, tracing its historical development and questioning its significance in the context of various cultural aesthetic frameworks.
Another collection takes us back to the second half of the 20th century in the former USSR and examines the approaches and methods of pattern construction combined with the architectural language of Kyiv modernism, particularly the work of Avraam Miletsky.
There is also a collection designed for the younger generation – students and workers who seek a balance between comfort and elegance in everyday life. The collection combines formal, leisure, and sports elements into a harmonious whole that allows freedom of movement while still being aesthetically and stylishly pleasing.
A practical mix&match sleepwear line – Count me in – has been created with an emphasis on comfort and real-world usability.
Another collection celebrates the provocative aesthetics of Studio 54 and the richness of 1970s fashion. Period silhouettes and color combinations are translated into the contemporary language of fashion with an emphasis on sustainable materials such as wool, faux fur, and silk, resulting in models with a timeless, luxurious character.
Additionally, there is a collection exploring the cultural dialogue between European and Asian art from the 18th century to the present. The collection visually interprets selected aspects of oriental aesthetics, whose reflections in European fashion have historically often been associated with the exoticization and idealization of the East.
Another collection also delves into historical roots, specifically the greatest expansion of the textile industry at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in the city of Brno. The models then reflect historically rooted social stratification and the contrast between luxury and poverty.
There will also be a collection looking for parallels between Kate Moss – the icon of the 90s and the embodiment of the heroin chic trend – and Christiane F., the teenage drug addict from the 70s, known from the autobiographical book We Children from Bahnhof Zoo. This collection critically addresses themes of the body and destructive beauty ideals.
Based on scientific research, models from the product line Celulee LABEL will be presented, focusing on the experimental use of bacterial cellulose in fashion and product design, bringing a new perspective on sustainability and material innovation.
There will also be a reflection on the transformation of contemporary fashion in the world of digital technologies. One of the collections addresses the fusion of physical and digital environments, where technology significantly changes the way fashion is created, presented, and perceived.
The common denominator of all the collections is an emphasis on high-quality craftsmanship, conceptual thinking, and respect for traditional tailoring techniques. Education in the studio, under the leadership of doc. MgA. Kristýna Petříčková, Ph.D., and the expert assistants MgA. Adriana Šatková and MgA. Lenka Mičolová, systematically supports the development of distinctive authorship and prepares students for real-world application in the fashion industry.
The Fashion Design Studio has long supported international exchanges, internships, and connects students with practice. It regularly participates in the most important fashion events and exhibitions, such as Designblok, Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Live! Bratislava, Vision, WE'RE NEXT, or the Fashion Event Dotek, which connects fashion with charity activities, specifically with the organization Alliance of Women with Breast Cancer, o.p.s., and many others.
Students' works also regularly appear in the most prestigious media, such as Vogue CS, Harper’s Bazaar Czech, Elle Czech, or Dolce Vita, and are also recognized on the international stage. Among the latest successes are the presentation of the TAILORTECH project as one of the winning projects at the WORTH Partnership Project exhibition during this year’s Milan Design Week, or, among other things, the victory of student Tomáš Maliňak in the New European Bauhaus competition with the design of uniforms for the EU Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, which were realized and are part of the exhibition.