“Czech Coco Chanel”

Good lovely morning! The new magazine came out last week in our country. First ever Czechoslovakian Vogue magazine! This on its own made me look at the history of Czech fashion icons. I love stories of women who actually did something they really enjoyed in their lives. Hana Podolská, a Czech clothes designer, was one of them. 

Nowadays, everyone admires models such as Dior or Chanel, at the time of the first republic, Hana Podolski's work had everyone's attention. Hana Podolská, formally Johanna Vošahliková was born in the year 1880 in Prague. Her father died at just 44 years of age, and because of that, Hana decided to become a dressmaker to help her mother make some additional money. A polish aristocrat Viktor Podolský discovered her talent and later married her. He supported and admired her work very much and thanks to him, Hana opened her first salon in Nusle and later in Palace Lucerna in the center of Prague.

Her work was inspired by Paris, where she used to travel for inspiration not only for her pieces of clothes but also for scouting talented French models. Other than actress and celebrities, such as Lída Baarová or Nataša Gollová, she also styled First Lady Hana Benešová and Marta Gottwaldová.

Even though Hana was supported by the First Lady, her salon was taken away by Communists in the year 1948 which destroyed her work and all of it disappeared. 

Nowadays, we could see her pieces in different movies and on various exhibitions, for example in the Museum of Applied Arts. The exhibition lasts until January 20th, 2019 so you've got plenty of time to explore the work of Czech fashion legend.