How did your carbon fibre passion start?
Šimon: Natalie searched for a material for her sculptures, something modern yet capable of expressing her African heritage. I suggested carbon fibre. She tried it and when we saw these pieces of pitch-black but shiny material, we both fell for it!
What made you decide to make luggage?
Šimon: I inherited some old luggage of my great-grandfather Vladimír Procházka, who himself had been a successful businessman in the 1930s. His business was selling elegant black suitcases with brown leather highlights. The ones I inherited were in great shape. And I saw it as a sign.
©Dalibor Borovec
So you restored the family business?
Šimon: Tradition is crucial for us; we recreated the brand based on archive sources and artefacts. The logo had been first registered at the patent office in 1930. And the company operated in the same city as we do now. We respect the legacy of high craftsmanship.
How are you open to innovation?
We combine many disciplines: traditional bag making and leatherworking, sculpturing, engineering –and more! Besides classic manual work, we employ 3D methods, animation and visualisation. It‘s a blend of meticulous craft and new tech, always ensuring high quality.