Meet the Designer: Tereza Váchová

Tereza Váchová has been making clothes for about as long as she can remember. Before the collections, the craftsmanship and the independent label, there were dolls and scraps of fabric.

“I think I made my first fashion-like item before I was eight — it was for dolls, made from scraps, but it was a start.”

That instinct to make things never really went away.

Today, Tereza creates pieces that sit somewhere between meticulous craftsmanship and a refusal to take fashion too seriously. Her own description might be the best one: “cheeky haute couture.”

Couture, with a sense of humour

Tereza’s work is bespoke and carefully constructed, but there is always an element of play.

“It is definitely bespoke and finely crafted, but lighthearted and a little bit fun too.”

It’s an interesting balance. The craftsmanship can be serious without the clothes themselves becoming overly precious. They are designed to be worn, interpreted and made part of someone else’s personality.

Perhaps the best example is one of Tereza’s favourite creations: the Paper Rose denim jacket.

Creating a genuinely one-size, unisex garment is notoriously difficult. Bodies are different, proportions change, and what looks effortless on one person can feel completely wrong on another.

Tereza thinks she found the answer with this one.

“I love seeing her on different, unique people. She always looks so natural.”

There is something telling in the fact that she refers to the jacket as her. These aren't simply products leaving a studio; they seem to develop personalities of their own.

Designing from life

Ask Tereza where inspiration comes from and there isn't an elaborate reference list.

“It is life — my own memories, roots and feelings. And people too. Some of them are just amazing, you know?”

It’s a refreshingly straightforward answer.

Fashion becomes a way of processing what she sees and experiences rather than following a predetermined theme. Memories, people and personal history find their way into the work — sometimes consciously, sometimes not.

And now, menswear

Recently, Tereza has found herself increasingly drawn to menswear, both formal and street.

For a designer who enjoys playing with expectations, it offers plenty of new territory: proportion, tailoring, streetwear and the increasingly blurred lines around who clothes are actually made for.

“It’s fun, and there’s a lot of space to play, so maybe a menswear line? We’ll see…”

For now, there is no grand announcement. Just experimentation — which feels appropriate for someone who started making clothes simply because she couldn't imagine not making them.

Discover Tereza Vachova on Himassa and follow her at @tereza.vachova. And, as Tereza herself points out, the best way to support an independent designer is also the simplest: find something you love and wear it.