top of page
Writer's pictureLukas Kroulik
Nov 2, 20232 min read

The Iconic Oxford Street Campus by Lukas Kroulik

Check out this outdoor art exhibition in Nachod (my birthplace), Eastern Bohemian, Czech Republic. Organised and curated by @petr_na_cz


Thank you Petr and my parents for making the exhibition opening such a great success. I was there with you in spirit and my image called ‘Oxford Street’ of the London College of Fashion (LCF) building where I studied, in the heart of London.


'Oxford Street' the London College of Fashion building by Lukas Kroulik, 2022.

This image feels so relevant this year, 2023, as LCF is moving to a new campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the cultural and educational development East Bank.


Photo by Jana Čížková.


The Evolution of London College of Fashion: From Oxford Street to Stratford


The Iconic Oxford Street Campus


The London College of Fashion (LCF) building on Oxford Street, designed by architect Richard Seifert, has long been a hub of creativity and innovation. For many students, including myself, Lukas Kroulik, this campus was an endless source of inspiration. The vibrant energy of London and the building’s modernist design provided a fertile ground for budding designers from around the world.




Transition to Stratford: A New Era


LCF’s move to a new, state-of-the-art building in Stratford, designed by Allies and Morrison, marks a significant new chapter. This sustainable, forward-thinking campus embodies the future of fashion education, with cutting-edge facilities and expansive collaborative spaces. The Stratford building highlights LCF’s commitment to sustainability, technology, and preparing students for the evolving fashion industry.


Significance for the Fashion Industry


This transition is pivotal for the fashion industry, positioning LCF as a leader in the global dialogue on the future of fashion. The new campus will attract a diverse range of talent, fostering an environment where innovation can thrive.





Personal Reflection and Grand Opening


As an LCF alumnus, I had the honor of attending the grand opening of the Stratford campus, an event celebrated by alumni, industry leaders, and key figures in fashion. Reflecting on my time at the Oxford Street campus, I remember its profound impact on my career. I even had the privilege of exhibiting my photograph of the Oxford Street building in my birthplace, Náchod, Eastern Bohemia, Czechia.


Conclusion


The journey from Oxford Street to Stratford signifies LCF’s enduring legacy and forward-thinking vision. The memories and lessons from Oxford Street will always hold a special place in our hearts, while the new Stratford campus represents progress and limitless potential. Here’s to a bright and fashionable future!


Writer's pictureLukas Kroulik
Oct 29, 20232 min read

Being Glamorous In Tough Times



This is my invitation for you to take a step into the house of the past.

  • Imagine looking good as a Czech girl in Nazi Bohemia, 1943

  • Imagine looking good as a Caribbean girl in the Great Recession, London, 2009

Here is my conversation with the images that tell their story.










Archive: a historical collection of e.g. dresses, documents, paintings, film magazines just to name but a few.


This project focused on the ‘fashion archive’ from an image-led perspective. It investigated notions of the ‘staged’ moments and evidenced through fashion.

This topic, lectures and archive visits inspired me to look at my childhood and especially my relationship with my grandmother Hana. She was my friend, supporter, influence and inspiration. I spent lots of time with her as a child and loved talking to her about her childhood and also looking at the photos in her photo albums and imagining the staged moments and the stories behind the photos. We could discuss those moments and memories for hours.


After visiting the London College of Fashion archive and observing and analysing Katherine Baird’s explanations how she manages, creates and where and who donated e.g. clothes, shoes, magazines, photographs, make-up with practical examples and demonstration I realised that I can use my grandmother photos as a young woman from the forties as my primary research. I understood the connection between the clothes, photograph, stories and the meaning of it.


The analytical approach to some of my grandmother’s photographs from the 40’s brought me to an interesting conclusion. One of my close friends and also a university peer Suzanne has always unconsciously reminded me of my grandmother. There is something which connects these two women. They both have style and charisma and something else which I still have to explore. Suzanne has been always fascinated by the 40’s and 50’s style and she is the real example of a woman who knows how to wear this kind of clothes. I told her about my grandmother’s passion for fashion and clothes making. I brought back some clothes from my grandmother’s wardrobe for Suzanne and all of the pieces ‘fit like a glove’. That is astonishing coincident.


I decided to interview my grandmother and also Suzanne and ask them about the style and in my grandmother case what was the main reason for dressing up. In her time the only excitement or self expression was through clothes because it was a very difficult time during the Second World War in the Eastern Bohemia.


I decided to recreate the mood and the style of my grandmother Hana’s staged photographs and use her original clothes which she gave to Suzanne so she can relive the style of the 40’s.


 


Muzeum bratří Čapků, Male Svatonovice, Czech Republic - Hana Kroulikova with the Museum director Eva Hylmarova in 2015. Photo credit JK.



Letter from 1924 to Karel Capek from John Galsworthy.

From The Grove to The Atheneaum Club London 1924 - Letter to Karel Capek from John Galsworthy.


Statue of the Čapek brothers and the Kroulik brothers in Male Svatonovice, Czech Republic. Photo credit JK.

Josef Čapek and Karel Čapek collaborated on several creative projects just like I have done over the years with my brother, hypnotist, Jakub Kroulik.


For example, Josef invented the word "robot", which was introduced into literature by his brother, Karel Čapek.



Writer's pictureLukas Kroulik
Sep 23, 20233 min read

Plastic and Happiness by Lukas Kroulik

The Photography Group Show, 26th September - 15th October 2023


I am passionate about climate change. But I am concerned that so many activists become so negative in their approach, always hectoring and condemning and I want to bring beauty into the argument.


That is why I am delighted to share some of my inspiration in a specially curated photography show this autumn at the Chelsea Arts Club where I am an artist member.


This includes two photographs from my series of sustainability and climate change art.


The images feature the beauty of plastic sparingly used alongside plastic waste due for recycling. Here is an optimistic response to plastic pollution, awakening the realisation that we all can participate and make lifestyle changes which will have an impact on our imperilled world.


The images were printed in London in Printspace, the UK’s first Fine Art & Photo printing service that is completely carbon neutral and are presented in my own frame design, handmade in London out of recycled plastic collected on the streets of Soho.


Lukas Kroulik and his photograph "Plastic Happiness".


The photographs were taken in Bhutan in 2022, where I was moved by the Bhutanese people, their lifestyle and commitment to both happiness and sustainability.


Ever since, I have been looking for opportunities to collaborate and share awareness about Climate Change through art and everyday activities - to demonstrate how creating and keeping new habits can have a great impact on places, spaces and communities that will benefit and inspire others. As well as stopping destructive behaviour we want to feel good about ourselves too.





The Bhutanese ideal of gross national happiness - rather than gross national product (GNP) leads immediately to concern for climate change. Here I was ever so lucky to be given insights from a great new Bhutanese friend. This is Tashi, who took part in the international snowman trail race in September 2022, organised by HM The King to add a new voice to the demands for action on climate risk, as the trail marked the retreat of the snowfields.


In Bhutan, all the people wear a badge of HM The King and HM The Queen to show their appreciation (as one can see on Tashi in the video interview above) so I designed an eco badge from my photograph for visitors to this special photo exhibition.



Badge made out of Lukas Kroulik's original photograph from his expedition 2022 in Bhutan, an inspiring country in its commitment to happiness, sustainability and climate change awareness and action.



Lukas Kroulik's photograph "Transformation" a pile of collected plastic after the Snowman Race as a colour negative to demonstrate the positive outcome of recycling.


Here is an example from my collaboration with James Suckling from @areyoumad.co, creating picture frames are made of recycled plastic waste collected from businesses in Soho and made into these beautiful marble-like structures. They are sleek, modern, contemporary cutting edge frames for my photographs and other artworks focused on specific areas of recycling, slow fashion, upcycling, reinventing and creating sustainable materials out of plastic as well as other forms of waste - and making these into beautiful and unique art forms or products.



Step by step - the journey of my frames: from the street waste, to the game changing education recycling space in Soho London, onto my dinner table for assembly and finally on the walls of the Chelsea Arts Club and for sale alongside other photographers who like me belong to the club.


 

Related Blog posts and newspaper articles:


Lukas Kroulik, Jeanne Mascolo de Filippis, Dominic Houlder & Jérôme-Cécil Auffret, Bhutan 2022 (L-R).











In Bhutan I met and spoke to the world’s happiest man, the monk Matthieu Ricard, and he shared with us his secrets of a serene, successful and satisfying life.


 

Chelsea Arts Club - Yearbook Launch


My image Plastic Happiness was selected for the 2024 Yearbook. Among the guests at the lanuch was Greg Kats, an American businessman, environmentalist, and thought leader in the green economy sector.





bottom of page