LIBERAL LARK is born from freedom and is defined by it.
Freedom is not automatic, and we often realize its value only when we lose it or have already lost it entirely. Sometimes, we don’t even have the opportunity to understand what freedom truly means. If you are born into a society where free and democratic principles are suppressed, people adapt to their environment from an early age and perceive it as normal.
The founder of the LIBERAL LARK brand, Lenka Linhartova, was born during the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, which ended with the Velvet Revolution in November 1989. She experienced democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression for the first time during her high school years. It was then that she truly realized all that freedom entails.
From an early age, she was raised in a family deeply affected by the oppressive communist regime. Her grandfather was a longtime political prisoner, and the topic of communism was carefully avoided in family discussions. Her other grandfather was a traditional and meticulous tailor of the time. His home was filled with high-quality wool fabrics, tailor’s mannequins, and hand-drawn paper patterns. Spending her holidays watching him create exquisitely tailored coats and jackets was always a remarkable experience.
Even as a little girl, Lenka understood the sense of freedom that clothing could provide. Her grandfather liked to sew beautiful coats for her from soft, dense wool. They were warm, breathable, and made exactly as they had agreed. She will never forget their distinct, natural scent of wool.
Lenka and the discomfort in a polyurethane coat.
However, after the 1980s, synthetic textiles started entering the market as innovations of the time. Her mother purchased several of these new artificial materials, promoted as durable and practical. Reluctantly, her grandfather sewed coats from polyurethane at her mother’s request. The difference in comfort between a coat made from soft, breathable wool and one made from rigid, synthetic material quickly became apparent. Lenka refused to obediently wear the plastic clothing and demanded the return of her grandfather’s warm, breathable wool.
While attending high school, where the fashion market was severely limited by the centrally planned communist economy, clothing options were restricted to a few models and designs for the entire country. As a result, people wore similar or identical garments and footwear, which did not appeal to her as a young girl. She began sewing her own clothes, creating outfits that stood out from the monotony of communist consumerism. Her parents still recount stories of how she spent nights sewing her dresses, coats, and jackets. For instance, she once transformed a heavy wool fabric inherited from her grandmother into a stylish new coat with original fastenings in just one night.
Her passion for sewing persisted during her university years. Even after the fall of communism and the opening of international trade, there was still a lack of quality clothing in post-communist countries. She continued sewing clothes for her closest family members. Years later, when she no longer had time to sew herself, she collaborated with tailors in her hometown of Prostějov, formerly a major fashion hub. She carefully selected only natural textiles for her wardrobe, which the tailors then skillfully crafted.
Freedom, the cornerstone of LIBERAL LARK, also holds significance in another chapter of Lenka’s life. During her professional career in Marketing and Public Relations, the evolving work environment and related events inadvertently placed her close to high-level populist politics. It took years for her to leave this environment, which she despised but could not abandon earlier due to her safety concerns. During this tense period, she expressed her views silently through the themes of her abstract acrylic paintings, a safer form of protest.
After a difficult departure, she finally felt free after years. She could breathe deeply and begin pursuing her goals her way. These circumstances are also reflected in the name of the LIBERAL LARK brand.
Lenka also took up another new sport – yachting. The dynamism of the open sea, the sun, the wind, and the unforgettable sailing experiences amplified her newfound freedom. While crossing the English Channel in autumn 2018, she realized how imperfect sailing apparel was.
From a sailing across the English Channel in 2018 – Bishop Rock Lighthouse.
She began exploring how to enhance its technical functionality, incorporating innovative natural textiles. During her search for suitable materials, she discovered natural fabrics with high-performance nanomembranes, offering water resistance, wind resistance, and breathability. She first used this material to create an elegant yet durable coat that met her high standards for functional and high-quality clothing. The outdoor qualities of this textile and the performance of subsequent coat tests convinced her in 2019 that the market was missing this type of luxury apparel.
The unique character of LIBERAL LARK coats is shaped by quality craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability, as well as a passion for digitization. Customers can design their coats in a 3D/AR online configurator, and the tailored coat is made according to the resulting 3D model. The authenticity of each coat is further underscored by its 3D model being stored on a blockchain as an NFT.
The founder’s profession also significantly influences the brand’s development. Having worked for years in Public Affairs and Public Relations, focusing on the circular economy, she began searching for even better natural textile materials that would meet demanding outdoor requirements while complying with emerging legislation. This means durable, fully recyclable materials made without polymers or chemicals.
The only material currently meeting these parameters is a new wool fabric developed by The Woolmark Company. From 2024, this revolutionary material became the main fabric for LIBERAL LARK coats. It is made from 100% wool of the highest quality, is water-resistant, windproof, and entirely free of plastics or chemicals. The precisely tailored coats are breathable, lightweight, and suitable for challenging weather conditions. They provide freedom not only through their comfort but also through the ability to personalize their design.
Freedom is the value of values. We must protect and foster it. This is also the mission of LIBERAL LARK.