Grand designer of the year 2024 is the creator of the Olympic Collection, Jan Černý. This year, he will design uniforms for the Czech National Pavilion in Japan

Through his brand Jan Société, Černý creates contemporary menswear and genderless fashion, avoiding emphasis on any particular gender identity. According to the jury, the 31-year-old designer from Hodonín applied this approach to his Olympic collection, which has gained international recognition.

"The result was a visually striking unisex ensemble in the colors of the Czech tricolor, slightly adjusted towards a more elegant expression, with a bold coat as its centerpiece," described Andrea Březinová, curator of the Moravian Gallery in Brno, on behalf of the jury.

In addition to winning the Grand Designer of the Year title at Czech Grand Design 2024, Černý was also named Fashion Designer of the Year due to his distinctive creative signature. This year, he is set to design a collection for the Czech National Pavilion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan.

The Czech Grand Design 2024 Awards recognized a total of ten winners. Among them are Rückl Glassworks' artistic director Kateřina Handlová, illustrator Michal Bačák, designer Natálie Navrátilová, jewelry designer Magdalena Šťastníková, the Czech brand Master & Master, and the multidisciplinary project Identita. Each category featured three finalists, and their works will be exhibited at Kunsthalle Prague in the Space of Desire project until March 10.

The awards have been presented annually since 2006, with all nominations from the previous year available on the Czech Grand Design website. The Czech Design Academy consists of journalists, curators, and art historians, led by Radim Vondráček, director of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, along with his predecessor Helena Koenigsmarková.

Source: Czech News Agency (ČTK), with editorial modifications.