06/12/2022
By wizewebsite
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In the pandemic I felt that people wanted to support Czech designers, says jewelry<

When you look back, how many brands did you start with and how many do you work with today? Where has Tvorba moved overall over the years?Compared to the first months, the number of brands offered to us has more than quadrupled. But I don't think it's harmful. Over the years, I perceive the biggest shift in the amount of experience we have acquired. We still adhere to the concept of a curated selection of Czech author's work, but we have gained a greater feeling and a better estimate of the goods offered. We abandoned the idea of selling children's goods and instead focused partly on the offer of small Czech publishing houses. We got to know our customers and clients better, tested when it is better for both parties not to continue cooperation with the creators, and confirmed that we want to have a store in which it will be a pleasure for us to shop.

and patches. Recently, we have been focusing a lot on gift items. Designer ceramics, porcelain, candles, embroidered bags, stationery, children's games and carefully selected books - all this has its place with us. Sometimes we joke that our store is slowly becoming a bookstore. But all of us behind Tvorba love books, and we think that the work of small Czech publishing houses, which often collaborate with Czech authors and illustrators, suits our showroom.

Is the trend of slow fashion and a preference for ecological and sustainable materials noticeable to you?Certainly. Already when we opened Tvorba four years ago, one of the fundamental questions for creators was where the offered goods are made. At the beginning of each new collaboration, we ask. What is the origin of the substances? Where the clothes were sewn, what the composition is, all of this is of course reflected in the price, but we are aware that our customers will ask us the same questions. And so, none of our cooperation is possible without this debate, and without adequate answers and the quality of processing, we do not continue cooperation. It is clear to us that, unlike the online world, we simply do not get our customers drunk on a roll in the showroom, and that is not our goal either. We are happy for conscious and informed shoppers. We see ourselves as part of the concept where less is more and we agree that one quality Czech coat can last you a lifetime, regardless of trends, with proper care.

Do you ever go to a "fast fashion" store by yourself?Personally, I have managed to recover the majority of my wardrobe in second hand stores for years. I loved them even when they weren't as "in" as they are today, and my husband sometimes laughs at how I can sell clothes when I dress myself 90 percent at thrift stores. But I argue to him that once every six months or a year I have no problem paying money for a piece from a small creator whose price can never reach the level of slow fashion. And to the original question? But yes, I sometimes go to a normal store for cotton underwear, socks for my husband or tights for the children.

In the pandemic, I felt that people want to support Czech designers, says the jeweler

Creating a showroom

What is the difference between running a ready-to-wear store and a designer store? What are the biggest challenges?I think the biggest challenge we run into is the ability of small producers to be prepared and stocked for the season. We are not from another planet, it is clear to us that, especially in the time of covid, it is not fun to procure fabrics and sew on time, but unfortunately we often encounter the fact that when we need to have sweatshirts and coats in the store, for example, they are unfortunately still hanging on the shelves short sleeve t-shirts and skirts. We tell everyone this, we gradually teach it to the creators. They pick it up season by season, but many of them are starting their entire business from the peak, they don't know whether to deal with invoices, a new website or the cut of summer dresses first, so they often miss this timing. We totally get that, and with the amount of mentoring we provide to creators, we sometimes feel like an incubator for small creators. But we often come across the problem that they don't have enough sewn, the goods sell out in their e-shop and they no longer reach us for that reason. But maybe they are great problems. It shows that there is interest in Czech art.

Marie Poláčková

Marie Poláčková is a Czech designer behind the successful jewelry brand ko-ra-le.cz. She studied theology and has lived in Litomyšl, Prague, South Africa and for a while in Poland. She ran a museum, a boarding house, organized the Spa of the Spirit, international youth meetings, tapped beer and even cleaned the brewery. Together with her husband and a friend, she opened a shared design showroom Tvorba Store on Letná in Prague in autumn 2018, which she still operates today.

Creation

The emphasis is on original design, original processing, material quality, execution and a responsible approach. The space now lends itself to approximately 70 brands, including creators of complementary graphics, candles, toys and other small items. The brands Artery, ko-ra-le, City Folklore, Michaela Surá, Marai, Bioga, Convertibles, Akari, Czeska, One village and others have the largest selection or exclusive representation in Prague. "We take care of the store and customers with the kind of care that we would like to experience ourselves when shopping," Marie also highlights the personal approach that showroom customers can look forward to.

How does establishing cooperation with new brands work? What is key for you?We have several criteria. The first is definitely our taste. The brand must visually interest us, its creation must appeal. The second wave is questions about the materials used, the quality of processing, the origin of production and, last but not least, the question of price. We have already tested where we can go with the price and when our clothes are no longer for sale. We either approach the brands ourselves, or they report to us via email or on social networks. We are not and do not want to be inflatable, so lately we have been operating more on the principle of a waiting list. Every once in a while, when a place becomes available, we arrange a new collaboration. How the brand itself is able to present itself in the online world also plays a significant role for us. If we see that her activity on social networks is minimal, she does not have the capacity to build an audience by herself, it is clear to us that we will not leave this sphere entirely behind her. We need to work in synergy, where small creators support us as a showroom and a place where their customers can go to buy, and we are at the same time a presentation of their work.

Marie Poláčková is behind the successful jewelry brand ko-ra-le.cz.

During this summer (i.e. when there were no restrictions) did you return to the pre-covid mode, did you find even more customers, or did you lose customers?Recently, we discussed in detail they looked at the numbers from the last two years. Our experience is that when there was a lockdown, it was a big bad one. We "tightened up" something with the e-shop, but we basically subsidized the store. But when it opened, customers came and told us: "I waited for you to open again. I want to buy here, to support you. I want you to function and get through this weird time.” That always brought tears to our eyes. That customers really like us and want to express their support not only to us, but also to the creators we represent. I think that a whole narrative of supporting small Czech businesses has arisen around covid. And our audience is great and knowledgeable, so every time we've opened, sales have been good again.

Did the brands you present in Tvorba have a similar experience?I can't speak for others, but I definitely felt the wave of support at my jewelry e-shop. At least in the spring of 2020. That's what I tried tooth and nail too. I remember sewing masks at home and adding them to customers as a gift with their order. Today it seems like humorous science fiction, but back then there was nothing, so they were really grateful. I definitely think that as a result of the pandemic, part of the shopping has shifted to the online world. We are aware of this and are working on a new, more user-friendly version of the e-shop, where we would like to gradually add more clothes. Currently, on our website, customers will mostly find gift items that do not need to be tried on.

You yourself are a designer and jeweler and you exhibit your own pieces in Tvorba, what exactly is it about now?In Tvorba I have almost my entire portfolio on display, but among the complete novelties are hand-blown Christmas ornaments or a new the Flow necklace, which was created from a glass component used to make chandeliers. It is then decorated with sandblasting or perhaps liquid gold. This is currently my greatest joy.

Do you have tips for readers, even for smaller gifts, with which they could please their loved ones?Absolutely! Beautiful soy candles in glass jars, handmade soaps, hand-embroidered pockets by Ivana Hrnčiříková, author's porcelain, beautiful wooden animals or perhaps the fantastic Christmas card Peace to you in the shape of a small room are very successful here.