It hasn’t been that long since it was created by pure chance brand Lasoul. It is a brand for all sports-minded women and girls. We interviewed its founder Martina Prokopová.
Martina, how did the idea of starting your own brand of women’s sportswear come about?
My name is Martina Prokopová and I am the mother of an 8-year-old girl. I like to travel and do sports, and I thoroughly enjoyed this connection during my maternity leave. We bought a bicycle stroller for our daughter and got to know the beauties of Bohemia and Moravia. I started a blog and started giving tips for cycling trips online. The blog was liked and even the editor-in-chief of the e-bike magazine noticed it. Word got around and I started contributing to the magazine with a regular column about travel. And since the articles are accompanied by photos and I shoot short videos for cycling trips, I started to deal more with clothes. To my surprise, I couldn’t find anything on the market that appealed to me, that would fit me and that would make me feel good on the bike. So I decided to found a brand of Czech sportswear for women, LASOUL.
What exactly is hidden under the LASOUL brand?
I make sportswear for sporty women and girls who love to ride a bike, scooter, inline skates or run. When I wanted to buy cycling clothes, I had three options. The classic cycling jersey, which is tight on the body and this is uncomfortable for me, reveals all the body’s flaws. A mountain bike jersey, which, however, is too loose and usually doesn’t dazzle with its design. A classic functional t-shirt, which, however, does not have an extended back part and thus exposes the back when riding a bike. The LASOUL functional t-shirt has a tailored cut that flatters the figure, and is based on a fresh design, quality materials and workmanship.
How do you choose materials?
I already have my proven suppliers. I test the fabric I choose first. When choosing a material, it is essential for me that it is functional and supports the wearer during leisure sports such as cycling, skating or scootering. I chose 100% polyester for the t-shirts, which is breathable, excellent sweat wicking and pleasant to the body.
What are you trying to be different from the competition?
I produce in the Czech Republic, I use local suppliers and seamstresses. Colorful colors, their combinations and original patterns are the hallmark of LASOUL collections. I like to stay in touch with my customers and listen to them. Last but not least is the cut of the t-shirt, which copies the silhouette of the body, does not constrict anywhere and hides flaws that we women do not want to emphasize. T-shirts are therefore slightly looser, the back part is longer and there is a pocket for small items in the waist area. The raglan sleeve adapts beautifully to almost any figure. It is also a sign of street fashion and LASOUL is not typical cycling clothing, it has street and freedom in it too.
Where do you gather inspiration for your work?
All around me, in nature, in travel, in the women and girls I come into contact with. I observe and memorize. I design the designs of my collections intuitively, as I currently feel. There is no calculus involved, it comes naturally.
What have you gained from your business? And was there ever a moment when you wanted to give up?
Above all, I gained inner freedom. I am solely responsible for everything. It’s a liberating feeling. I had a few weak moments, I admit. At the beginning, when I encountered suppliers’ lack of interest in cooperation, it was devastating. But I believed in my dream and I never wanted to give it up, despite all the obstacles.
What do you enjoy and fulfill most about your work?
The biggest reward for me is feedback from customers. Every kind word confirms to me that the path I set out on has meaning. I enjoy the whole process from the design proposal to the shipment of the goods to the customer.
What are your plans for the future, where would you like to move?
I founded the brand last year and I plan to gradually expand the range. This year, the offer was supplemented by mountain bike shorts and leggings.
How do you manage to combine work and family?
My daughter is my priority. The fact that I can set up my work so that I can attend to it after school is a big advantage. Sitting at work in the evenings is a tax for this option, which I am willing to pay. Also for the reason that I enjoy work and do not see it as a necessary evil.
What is your life motto?
Follow your dream, he knows the way.
Photo source: Lasoul.cz; the model is the founder herself, who carefully tests her pieces in the field
Source: www.luxurymag.cz
