Lucie Kratochvílová loves fashion with an infectious intensity. Her sense of style shines through her daily inspiration on Instagram, her vintage boutique Lula Vintage Prague, and the new concept store Lula Studio, where she brings together carefully curated niche fashion and contemporary art. In just a few days, she is heading to Paris to select new collections during Fashion Week—but when we speak, what occupies her mind most is something else: how to maintain peace and joy in the midst of a dream come true.
What are your days like at the moment?
I expected to feel relieved once we opened Lula Studio because the weeks—actually, months—leading up to it were incredibly stressful. But the relief never came. It’s been crazy; I’m constantly learning so many new things because it’s a completely different type of business. During the first few days, lots of people came in, but there have also been days when hardly anyone showed up, which I’m told is normal in retail, though it’s a new experience for me. I’ve had to deal with team management, refine our customer service, and I still feel there’s so much room for improvement. It’s difficult, but at the same time, it’s beautiful.
Opening the store was a big dream. Does it bring you joy now?
Someone asks me how I’m doing almost every day, and honestly, my answer is usually that life feels very hectic. But then I stop and realize that everything is actually great. Just this morning, while walking to a work meeting at a café after dropping my children off at nursery and school, I was thinking about it. Yes, I am happy. But paradoxically, not because of the business. I’m happy because my children and family are doing well and because we spend a lot of time together.
Although Lula Studio was a huge dream of mine, right now it’s actually making happiness a little harder to feel. In my day-to-day life, it brings a great deal of stress and work. But when I step back and look at the bigger picture, I am happy. It isn’t as if you dream of something, it comes true, and from that moment on you float on a cloud of happiness. There is always a price to pay.
Do you see Lula Studio Prague as a dream fulfilled?
It’s a journey toward a dream. I know I’m only at the beginning and that there’s still a lot of work ahead. It will take years to build our name and customer base. I approach it with humility and caution. Let’s see where we are in five years. On the other hand, being able to do what I love and continue growing within it—that is a dream come true.
What does freedom mean to you?
Believing in myself and trusting that my decisions are the right ones. Trusting my inner compass and following it. That is freedom. I’ve carried humility within me my entire life, and often a great deal of fear as well. Yet I’ve always had a strong inner compass, something I was born with. I’m grateful for it, and I’m not even sure whether it can be learned. As a teenager, I felt rather inconspicuous and introverted. I spent a lot of time alone with my thoughts, reflecting and forming my own opinions. Perhaps that’s why I trust my intuition so deeply today. I’ve never relied much on self-help books or manuals on how to live.
Do you feel free as the mother of three sons?
Actually, I feel freer than ever before. I’m living the life I always wanted. I have the children I dreamed of having. And although all of this comes with countless responsibilities, those responsibilities stem from my own dreams. We’re talking about freedom and how important it is to me, but at the same time, I need deep roots. I need my family, my closest pack around me. For me, freedom is being with them. And one of the most liberating things is being able to say no—to events, social obligations, and invitations—and instead take the children camping for the weekend.
Your free-spirited nature is also reflected in your style. Is fashion fun for you?
Absolutely. And although it may sound cliché, fashion is an expression of the soul for me. It has always been that way. In high school, I wore pumps and tweed skirts over jeans as indoor shoes. My mother occasionally suffered because of it and would beg me to change before family gatherings, but I never wanted to. I simply felt great. At the same time, it was never about seeking attention. I honestly don’t care how people react to me. Personal style is about feeling good in what you’re wearing. It grounds your sense of self, both in your own eyes and in the eyes of the world.
What shaped your style?
Seeing real people and how they dressed in major cities like Paris and Amsterdam. I grew up reading fashion magazines, but interestingly, I wasn’t particularly interested in fashion editorials. I was actually more fascinated by slightly more tabloid-style publications like In Touch, which showed how celebrities dressed when they weren’t on camera.
Looking at your Instagram photos, one gets the impression that you dress stylishly even when taking out the trash.
I can wear sweatpants. I’ll probably just pair them with pearls or pumps. I need to feel stylish. Style is an essential part of who I am. During COVID, life was difficult. Our son was ill, and I spent a lot of time taking him to doctors. Fashion could have seemed like the last thing on my mind. Yet even then, I always made an effort to dress nicely. For myself.
Can fashion be a form of self-care?
Absolutely. Sometimes I feel there’s a widespread belief that once you’re a mother, you should put yourself last and sacrifice everything. But as a mother of three, I’ve never felt guilty about taking care of myself. Whatever that means—getting a massage, visiting the hairdresser, reading a magazine, or simply enjoying a quiet cup of coffee.When you take care of yourself, you remain happy at your core, and the entire family benefits from it. I’m someone who enjoys life’s pleasures and likes to consciously experience joy.
Lula Studio combines fashion and contemporary art. What is your personal relationship with art?
While fashion came naturally to me from an early age, I knew nothing about art. I’m still discovering it, still finding new things. My approach is intuitive—I simply respond to whether I like something or not. At the same time, I understand that art also requires context. That’s why, for Lula Studio—which gives space not only to fashion but also to contemporary art—I worked with a curator who selected pieces that resonate with my style while also creating a thoughtful dialogue with one another.
What do you like to surround yourself with?
My husband and I both love mid-century furniture and modernist design. We have a dream Eames chair by Vitra, furniture by Jiroutek that we had painstakingly restored, a Togo sofa, and a framed Hermès scarf. Among artworks, I treasure a painting by Stanislav Ondruš, which captivated me at first sight, and a delicate paper-cut work by Renata Machýčková. At home, I approached collecting art very instinctively.
What is your relationship with jewelry?
My first pieces were vintage. I found them at flea markets and antique shops. I was like a magpie—the more, the better—and I was always drawn to the aesthetic of antique jewelry. I even discovered Janja because of a ring that reminded me of something I might have inherited from my grandmother.
Is symbolism important to you?
Sometimes. At times, jewelry is simply beautiful and I don’t think much beyond that. Then there are pieces that hold deep meaning for me, and many of those come from Janja. They are connected to specific events or emotions. Objects that are not only beautiful but also carry a story affect me profoundly. The world a brand creates around itself is important to me, and those are the brands I choose to surround myself with.
What are you wearing today?
A moth necklace from the Amor Fati collection, along with my wedding and engagement rings.
Do you think about jewelry as an inheritance?
Honestly, I always dreamed of having a daughter who would one day inherit all these beautiful things. But I have three sons, so we’ll see. One of my sons is quite fond of adornment already, and he would probably enjoy some of my jewelry even now. I often wonder where my collectible pieces—my jewelry and handbags—will end up one day. Whether they’ll go to my sons’ future partners or perhaps to granddaughters.
What is love to you?
The fundamental reason to live.
Foto: Hana Knížová
