Students of FMK UTB under the leadership of Oldrich Voyta have created a collection of women’s high-heeled shoes from recycled textile materials called “TY si IQ” (“YOU are IQ”). A total of 7 students from FMK participated in the footwear workshop from the 1st to the 3rd year of the Bachelor’s degree program in the Footwear Design studio and one student from the Footwear Research Center UTB. The material “TY si IQ” was created in the workshops of the Slovak Ateliér71, under whose auspices this year a sustainable fashion show was also held at the thirtieth Slovak Fashion Night Ball on Saturday, January 27, 2024, in New York. Works of Zlín students were also presented there.
“We got in touch with Atelier71 thanks to direct contact from this Bratislava studio, which learned about my work through collaboration with the First Lady of the Czech Republic, Eva Pavlova. Atelier71, under the guidance of Monika Laceková (Mola Design – Mola Couture), prepared a fashion collection of twenty-four models, using the innovative material ‘TY si IQ’ for their work. Thanks to this collaboration, a sustainable fashion collection was created, as well as designer high-heeled shoes, which also focus on wearer comfort. The organization of the entire event by +421Foundation, the Consulate General of the Slovak Republic in New York, and the Slovak-American Cultural Centre was amazing, resulting in over six hundred guests attending the ball. Special thanks go to Eva Staroňová for organizing the event, arranging flights and accommodation through +421Foundation. The collection was enthusiastically received by the audience with a standing ovation. For the first time, our Footwear Design studio and Footwear Research Center presented their shoes in the USA, which I consider a tremendous success.”
