Fast Confession - Pavlína Jágrová: The Blogger Began to Design Furniture. You Can Get Involved Too!
Some time ago the niece of the famous hockey player, Jaromír Jágr made an interview with Luxury Prague Life. But a lot has changed in those few months, so we came up with some further questions. The young beauty is just celebrating one watershed moment in her life. She has launched her own brand of luxury furniture. However, in the near future she is going to surprise us by further projects. You can read on not only about those in the following interview.
When we saw each other last you told me that you have a big dream of opening your own bistro. We are standing in the Concept Store, but I can´t see a bistro, but furniture…
But that does not mean that I don´t still want to have the bistro. (Laughter) At that time all this was just at its very beginning. So you have actually been present to its birth, but you were not aware of it. We decided with my partner that we would like to have a go with a joint project, and this is it. That´s because I am greatly enjoying it, I scan all sorts of magazines, follow designers, Instagram of all sort of things. When this gets under way, and we firmly believe that it will, we will start the next project, and that will be the bistro. Not just any kind; we will fit it with our own furniture, in fact it will be a kind of showroom, where simply apart from furniture you will be able to enjoy good coffee and have a bite. But that is far away in the future, that may happen in about three years´ time at the earliest. But it certainly will be in the city centre. I also have an idea of what should be cooked there - I am a breakfast enthusiast and I love all sorts of breakfasts. I probably get inspired abroad, where there is a lot of super restaurants. The current craze is for example avocado breads.
I can see that you have great plans with your partner…
Yes, we have become business partners in the main and we are starting the business together. He makes it and I design it. It´s an easy equation.
What is the name of your joint brand?
Wdesign, on Instagram we have wdesign.store. We are still working on the website, it should be finished before the end of May. Nothing is ready straight away. It´s not just us here, but other designers too, but this is for the time being the main place where people can see our things. We will also vary the offering here.
The furniture looks minimalistic but expensive. Will mere mortals be able to afford it?
Sure. We want it to be affordable. Not as cheap as Ikea but affordable. So that people like you or me could afford them. Everyone has a right to have a nice thing. We want to build our brand on that the furniture will be custom-made and that the customers will have an option to design it themselves. The client can for example send us a photograph, we will make a proposal of how we could do it, what would we change, the client will make his comments and by working together; where the client will choose the dimensions, colour, anything, it will really be a bespoke piece of furniture.
Do you still work in Ambiente? I cannot imagine that you could manage time-wise.
No, not any more. I have been there for half a year. I took pictures in the main. But as soon as I finished in Ambiente, I took a full time job elsewhere. I actually work as a marketing manager for a digital agency. But I will probably have to finish there too, because I want to devote myself to this completely.
Does that mean that fashion, too, will be sidelined?
No, certainly not. I am still doing Instagram, I make part of my living from that, so I will certainly not abandon that. I still cooperate with a lot of various brands, as regards beauty and fashion, so I want to continue to devote my time to that.
How is it now with the tabloids, with fame. Are you still part of that?
Perhaps still a little, yes. But it doesn´t follow me so markedly, for which I am happy. I would not like to be a celebrity such as for example my uncle. I would go crazy if I had papparazzi following my every step, people, who would question my every move or decision.
Do people recognise you in the street?
Sometimes, but it is not too frequent or something to ponder about. They know me more from the world of fashion. But nobody wants to take a picture with me or my signature as from my famous uncle. It´s really not like that!
It seems to me that you are kind of lacking focus. Once you want to do this and the second day something else. What does your family say to that? Do they support you?
Well, family…They don´t trust me. In fact nobody ever has much faith in what I start doing.
How come?
They are otherwise minded. Whatever I come up with - I have really a lot of ideas, it is exactly as you said - every day I would do something different, so that because of that they think that it will simply not work the way I imagine. That is why it is an even greater challenge for me. I must follow this through to show them all. (laughter)
That´s interesting, most parents financially support their children in their business plan. But in that respect it wouldn´t work, would it?
Of course… but I am glad, one should try on his own, save up for the start. Then you appreciate it more. But I must confess that my mum made a little contribution in the very beginning. But otherwise it is not like I would go to my family that I want something, that I want them to buy me something. Not at all.
Did your uncle buy anything yet?
I have to say that my uncle is the only one from the family who really supports me. When I told him he was so excited, he told me to certainly go ahead with it. He has not bought anything yet, even though he loves it. He has seen the very first pieces. It was a case of trial and error, we were trying it out. I wanted to invite him to the opening, but he does not enjoy this kind of social events; he told me that he wouldn´t come. So I hope that when I see him he will choose something.
Will you push the price up or give him a discount?
No. Just to cover the costs, of course. Or give him a present with something else.
It is strange that this is such an important evening and you seem on tenterhooks, watching the time, is there something going on?
Well… in a while actually I am catching a plane, I am going to a fashion week in Budapest. For a few days. So don´t be upset with me that I didn´t make more time for you this time round.
How do you manage to these trips and handle the work, too?
It is difficult, I do not have any time, like none at all. A day just does not have enough hours. Unfortunately it is like in fact I don´t have the time even to have coffee with friends ... This full-time job doesn´t leave any time for private life. But when I finish there, it will all be well.
A self-employed businessman works very hard, it is hard to plan even a short holiday. How is it with you, are you planning a holiday?
No, not at all. The trips I do make are always spontaneous. And that journey to Budapest, they invited me last week and so I have arranged to go. I don´t like planning ahead. I live for the moment.
I have noticed that you added some new tattoos…
I always have new tattoos. I enjoy it. Some of the ones I have are very spontaneous, like actually everything I do, is spontaneous. Most are associated with something and there is a link between them. I have a tattoo done when something significant happens in my life. Some notable moment in my life that I want to remember. Then through a symbol, a picture, it finishes up on my skin.
You can designate one crucial moment?
For example one of the most profound tattoos are these two dots (on a hand). I had a cat. When she was dying she bit me and I had her teeth tatooed. This is where it was bitten through by her. These sort of things. It is a minimalist like my furniture. I also have a tattoo that I have in common with my former boyfriend, we had it done together.
Do you not regret it now that you split up?
Certainly not, not for a minute. I don´t regret anything. I wouldn´t have a name tatooed, that would be dumb. Moreover, I have quite a good relationship with all my former exes.
Pavlína, you are going under full steam - I presume that all your plans to start a family are being sidelined.
You are right. I don´t think about that at all. I do not have an maternal urges, children leave me cool. I do not know what to do with them. Several of my friends have a child. I never know how to treat them. I don´t brood on the fact that I am 28 years old and that I should have children no later than in two years´ time. I am more of a pet person. (laughter)
I concentrate on myself, starting projects, fulfilling my dreams. I want to travel but when you have a child it ties you down a bit.
