16/11/2017

The Man in the Background - Ján Smatana

Muž v pozadí - Ján Smatana

Exceptional people come from all walks of life. We most often find them among musicians, artists, or successful businesspeople.

But when a person searches, they discover that they have forgotten to look around them. And so they often only realize later that exceptional people are quite close by.
That's why we at Žurnále Alain Delon have gone into our own ranks this time. We would like to introduce you to the man who has been the face of our brand for more than fifteen years. An exceptional person who prefers to stay in the background. The creative director of the Alain Delon brand, Ján Smatana.

We didn't have to go far for the interview. We are sitting in an ordinary Bratislava office, where life runs at its usual fast pace. Mr. Smatana, exactly as we know him, with his typical cup of espresso in his hand, is discussing various topics with us in the conference room. He is one of the few Slovaks who work in our region at the head of a design team for a major brand, and yet he exudes accessibility and openness.
Mr. Smatana has been in the fashion business since school. From a person who dedicates his entire life to creative work, you would expect anything but a deeply analytical, even scientific approach to designs and work. It is rare to come across a designer who understands the business side of the fashion industry as well as he does.
When creating a design, you can't just think about a sketch on paper. A beautiful design can be useless in reality if you don't see the utility of the finished product from the beginning.

Mr. Smatana has expertise in manufacturing and material properties in his blood. Skills that are usually associated with the technology industry and not with fashion design. "When we draw, we already have in mind how a given piece of clothing will behave in everyday wear. Will it be worn by a person who sits in a car every day or spends time outside? These are all questions that we need to have answered before we start creating a given product." Our conversation logically gradually moves towards inspiration. A cliché topic in every conversation with a creative.
Here again, Mr. Smatana surprises with his precise approach. "I really like to be inspired by world trends, I myself am a big fan of the unmistakable Italian style. However, you cannot box yourself in and create only the way you want, you have to adapt to the customer. He is the one for whom you are designing the product. You have to control the market, know the mentality of your customer. Statistics and sales analysis are therefore things that go hand in hand with designing for us."

However, it would be a mistake to think that innovation and creativity are secondary to Mr. Smatana. "You have to constantly try to push the boundaries of creation and take risks. Every piece has to be interesting in some way, which is why we try to insert new elements into traditional models. We are increasingly coming up with more extravagant pieces, and many people are inspired by them and create their wardrobes around them."
Our brand is heavily inspired by smart casual style. It's no surprise that this style is a favorite of Mr. Smatana. He is often seen dressed in simple jeans, a jacket and an extravagant shirt.
I really like the smart casual style because of its simplicity. You have to feel comfortable in your clothes, that's what we strive for when designing our things, and it goes without saying that I demand the same from my clothes.
The hustle and bustle of the office drowns out our conversation at times, and the end of the conversation is suddenly gently hinted at by Mr. Smatana's colleague, who waves to him from the door. In the fashion business, time flies by a year and the preparation for the fall-winter season is just reaching its peak. We took a look inside and we promise you have something to look forward to. You can read about how Alain Delon collections are created in our next article.
16/11/2017