London Fashion Week holds great significance for fashion designers worldwide. It serves as a prestigious platform for showcasing their latest creations and establishing a strong brand presence. A single fashion show and a captivating image from the runway has the power to catapult a brand into the realm of mainstream stardom. Our editor Kai Lutterodt interviews Radka Sillerova, a luxury bag designer from the Czech Republic currently experiencing the euphoria that comes with a successful debut London Fashion Week show earlier this season…
This season took off to a great start! I swapped my notepad and pen behind the scenes, for high heels and a full face of makeup on the runway – in front of the cameras. Yes, I ticked off a bucket-list I didn’t know I needed, and I walked my first London Fashion Week catwalk at the All Things Fashion Fashionista event… an exhilarating experience! Another first-timer was Redka Sillerova, the 57 year old bag designer from the Czech Republic, whose excitement I could relate to. Now that the dust has settled, I’m back to my trusty pen and notepad for an interview with Radka and her colourful bags that captivated the audience at LFW!
- Tell us about your brand Radka Fashion. Why bags?
When I moved from Prague to Nuremberg in Germany, I discovered bicycle paths, along which I could go from the outskirts of the city directly to the centre. I’d met my friends to go shopping, or sit a cafes. There was one problem, I wasn’t happy with my bag. I’d take the backpack I used for sports activities on my bike, so in the city I looked like I had just come back from a hike. That’s why I started looking for some beautiful, high-quality, colourful and practical backpacks. A seemingly simple task turned into an endless search in stores and on the Internet. I didn’t find anything, so I decided to make them myself. And so it happened, and in 2015 I opened my own company for stylish backpacks.
- How did you get the opportunity to showcase your bags at LFW?
I have been working with the Pink Ribbon UK organization for a long time, which I also support with my special product: a backpack with the Pink Ribbon. Towards the end of July, the director of Pink Ribbon called me and told me about a possible collaboration in London in September. However, I had a workshop scheduled for that date, so I declined to participate in the event. However, Diana called me and explained that it was about participating in LFW. So, I hastily rescheduled my workshop and came to London for LFW, completely unplanned and spontaneous!
- What was your experience like?
It was my second famous Fashion Week. I love the atmosphere there, curiosity with suspense as to what it will be like. For me, everything backstage looks like a big chaos and then when it starts I am surprised everything runs perfect.
- Your bags are mostly bold and colourful. What’s the inspiration behind it?
I love colors, I always wanted to have colorful clothes since my childhood but it was difficult to get some in the communnist Czechoslovakia. I often sewed dresses for me and my kids in the 90‘. Sometimes I see an inspiration in the nature, sometimes on streets, very often I also get an inspiration during the sleep.
- Tell us about the concept of putting your models in simple dresses for the catwalk?
I wanted simple dresses to bring out the beauty of my handbags, if the dresses were too showy my bags wouldn’t be as visible. And I mainly wanted to show my backpacks and handbags. Maybe next time I will show some dresses without bags too…
- What has the feedback been like since the LFW show?
Many of my friends and fans offline and online were surprised, I got lots of message everywhere. I am happy I also could support Pink Ribbon UK with my bags.
- What’s next for you?
Now I am working on my new themes on my website, I want to switch my domain radkafashion.com to my name radkasillerova.com. I only will use my whole name for my brand. I am very happy and grateful I could attend the LFW even it was really spontaneous!
Written by Kai Lutterodt @the.soho.girl | Photos: @twinsdntbeg
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