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You studied at the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art (known as Sutnarka), and we’re now speaking at the New Stage of the Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre in Pilsen (DJKT). What was your journey like from art school to professional work (not only) in theatre?

I already knew what I wanted to do when I was 14, so I chose to study fashion design at secondary school and later continued in the same field at Sutnarka. One of my classmates at the time was very skilled at sewing. I wanted to learn too, and I found out he had done his work experience at the theatre, where he learned everything. The theatre told me there were no vacancies in the costume workshops, but there was a spot in the wardrobe department. So I started working there part-time, helping actors change into costumes during performances and preparing the costumes beforehand. I became friends with one of the actors, who was directing a children’s play called How About a Wedding, Prince? at the time, and he asked if I’d like to design the costumes. The costumes were well received by other people, directors, and actors, and I started getting more offers. So I was studying while already working in theatre.

What does it feel like to see your costumes “come to life” on stage?

It’s a beautiful feeling, and it all makes sense to me when I see that the costumes help shape the characters, that the actors feel comfortable performing in them, and that the costumes contribute to the overall atmosphere. I enjoy it when audience members come up to me and compliment the costumes.

What productions at DJKT or elsewhere have you worked on as a designer, and what does your job entail from design to execution?

Here in Pilsen, I’ve already worked on a number of productions—not just musicals, but also drama, ballet, and opera. I’ve also worked in the musical theatre in Prague’s Karlín district, did costumes for Oliver Twist in Ostrava with Lumír Olšovský, and designed costumes for ballet in Ústí nad Labem. How does it work? Either the director or the theatre director selects me, hands me the script, and shares their vision. I then read through the script, make notes on the characters and their traits, research the period and what people wore at the time, and create a visual concept that I submit to the theatre for approval. Once it’s approved, the designs go into production. At that stage, we work out the details with the tailors, milliners, wigmakers, and wardrobe department—we all have to function as a team. The actors themselves are also a key part of the process, attending costume fittings. Usually, I’m not working on just one show at a time—projects often overlap. One production typically takes several months to complete, about half a year. It’s important that the final result pleases both the theatre director and the actors, so they can move comfortably in the costumes and feel good in them. Actors can be quite dramatic if they don’t like something—and you don’t want that (laughs).

You also work outside of theatre—what else do you do, and how do you manage to juggle multiple fields?

This kind of work isn’t steady; I don’t have a constant stream of new productions. For instance, last season I had nine premieres, and this year only four. I have to earn a living like everyone else, and I don’t want to change careers because I love this one. So when I had fewer theatre jobs, I started thinking about what else I could do. I’ve been collecting costumes for many years, so I opened a costume rental business to give them a second life. I rent costumes to people—but it’s not a standard rental service. I provide individual attention to customers, selecting and adjusting costumes to fit each person’s body.

Do you have a professional dream or a project you’d like to work on—either in the Czech Republic or abroad?

I really wanted to design costumes for the musical Six, which was staged here in Pilsen, but unfortunately it didn’t work out. Maybe it still will one day. My wish is that theatre directors will continue choosing me so I can keep doing this job. And as for abroad, I’d love to one day design costumes for a theatre in Vienna, where they have a massive costume archive.

What skills or approaches that you learned at the Faculty of Design and Art do you use most often today?

What helped me the most were the weekly consultations with our studio head at the time, Associate Professor Helena Krbcová. We had to be fully prepared for each session—we brought inspiration images, had themes prepared in advance, fabric samples, and so on. That taught me more than anything. Even today, when I meet with a client, I come fully prepared. I’m organised, responsible, and capable of presenting myself.

You received the Rector’s Award for Outstanding Students at the University of West Bohemia. What was it awarded for, and what did it mean to you?

I was nominated for the award by Helena Krbcová. It meant a great deal to me—I was touched and proud because I had given so much to the school, pouring in all my energy and time. The award was a form of recognition, showing me that my efforts had been worthwhile and still are. I had a similarly great feeling when the dress I designed—the one hanging behind us now—was borrowed for a Vogue photo shoot and featured on the magazine’s cover.

What advice would you give current Sutnarka students who want to succeed in fashion design?

I often sit on the admissions committee for talent exams or review student work during assessments at the faculty. My advice would be: be open and listen to your mentors. Don’t assume you’re already a finished artist. Starting university is like starting over. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as you can here—once you enter the real world, you might not have the same opportunities again.

What one word best captures the most important contribution of the Faculty of Design and Art to your career?

Responsibility.

What’s your fondest memory from your time at the University of West Bohemia?

Sutnarka was absolutely fantastic for me—I learned so much, experimented with materials, and more. My best memories are probably of those final days before our assessments, when we were all working in the studio together, finishing everything up. We had a great group and a real team spirit.

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