LOCAL WOOL - Linda Havrlíková's project revives the tradition of Czech woolen fabrics

Linda has been interested in the topic of the renewal of wool production in the local textile industry for several years. She has reflected it in her diploma thesis at the Studio of Fashion Design at UMPRUM, her post-master's, and now her doctoral project. With the exhibition at the UM Gallery, she introduces the public to the development of her own fabrics made from Czech wool, from the very beginning, which consists of sheep breeding, through fleece processing, fibre spinning, and the actual production of fabrics. In cooperation with Kubák, Weaving Strmilov, KS, she designs her own fabrics and weaves, looks for new possibilities, and improves the quality of the resulting textiles. These are eventually further transformed into collections of women's garments inspired by shepherds and their needs, in her chosen cuts and special material treatments. An integral part of the project is the emphasis on sustainable production, high-quality craftsmanship, and collaboration with other entities that are inextricably linked to the process.

"I consider craft to be the cornerstone of the process. One should take it holistically and deal with all the components - from raw materials to the final product", explains Linda Havrlíková, who, among other things, breeds her own sheep.

"Linda puts the whole process, personal knowledge, and the designer's work into a broader context, touching on the complexity of the local, ecological, and social adaptability of wool processing and other principles resonating in contemporary design. The wool yardage and clothing collections are presented not as a final product, but as an ever-living phase of the process," says curator Veronika Soukupová, a student of the Department of Theory and History of Art at UMPRUM, introducing the exhibition and the artist's work.

The philosophy of her work and her approach to her surroundings is underlined by the architectural treatment of the exhibition, designed by Adéla Vavříková, a student of the Studio of Architecture I (working in the ruina.office collective with Magdalena Uhlířová). She also does not base the installation only on the final garments but brings the whole process closer, the importance of which the author herself points out. She works with motifs that accompany the craft - improvised weaving frames, and horizontal installation of fabrics. At the same time, she ingeniously underlines the details of Linda's work and respects her approach to life. She also incorporates the principles of sustainability into the architecture and consistently works with upcycled materials. The exhibition also includes two films presenting the artist's work and the revival of her craft, prepared by UMPRUM graduates Eliška Vojtková and Marie Smutná from FAMU, and photographic documentation of the garments by Taja Spassková. In addition, there is an accompanying programme for visitors - guided tours and discussions with Linda Havrlíková and a guest from a related field.

The exhibition Local Wool is the culmination of Linda Havrlíková's Ph.D. project. It provides an opportunity to explore the specific properties and qualities of wool as a material and the possibilities of its application in practice. It raises questions about how to further help revive disappearing crafts and the long-standing tradition of Czech wool.

The exhibition, which is also part of the Designblok show, will be open until the 14th of October 2023.

Accompanying programme:
September 26th from 6 PM
Discussion with Linda Havrlíková and eco-farmer Jaroslav Hubata-Vacek.
October 14th from 5 PM
a guided tour of the exhibition with Linda Havrlíková and curator Veronika Soukupová.

Designer: Linda Havrlíková.
Curator of the exhibition: Veronika Soukupová.
Architecture: ruina.office (Adéla Vavříková).
Graphic design: Oskar Koutný.
Technical implementation: Ateliér HASL (Jakub Marek, Martin Odehnal).


The exhibition is the final output of Linda Havrlíková's doctoral research at UMPRUM. The development of the fabrics was financially supported by UMPRUM in the AGS grant programmes (2020, post-mag project Sustainable Wool of the Fashion Design Studio) and SGS (2021, practical part of the Ph.D. project).

Linda Havrlíková is a textile and clothing designer dedicated to raising her own sheep and living a self-sufficient lifestyle on a country estate where she moved 4 years ago. In 2014 she graduated from the Technical University of Liberec with a degree in textile and clothing design, in 2015 she continued her studies at the Fashion Design Studio of UMPRUM, at the same school she continued her post-master's program and now she is finishing her doctoral studies. Under the brand Linda Havrlíková, she creates limited Czech woolen tailored garments in the context of eco-design. At the same time, she is active in educational programs in the Association of Textile-Clothing-Fur Industry.
Linda Havrlíková's work is intrinsically linked to Czech woollen textiles, the production of which she has managed to revive thanks to her post-master's programme at UMPRUM. The broad scope of her work also includes her own knowledge of the year-round care of sheep, which affects the resulting quality of the fibre for further processing. The large-scale industrial production itself, which she emphasizes in her work, can then help to bring about a real transformation in thinking about this generally untapped local, natural, and renewable material.
https://www.lindahavrlikova.cz/