Katerina Baloun

Since her childhood Katerina Baloun has been strongly influenced by her father. Petr Baloun was a highly appreciated art blacksmith, whose works decorate many houses in Prague's Old Town, but also other places in the Czech Republic. After the years he spent in Canada you can see his works, for example, in the Kennedys' house in Palm Beach.

A feeling for art, a strong will and the willingness to work hard, these are the features Katerina most likely inherited from her father. Creative talent together with a goal - to seek work - soon brought the first successes. Already in the course of her studies on the Academy of Design in Toronto, Katerina Baloun started to co-operate with one of the leading Canadian fashion designers, Pat McDonagh, who became famous for her costumes for the Beatles, Cher, and Princess Diana. Immediately after graduation Katerina worked with Toronto designer, Pino Tancredi, and also designed costumes for the Montreal and Toronto dance production "Under Her Heart" by the world-famous choreographer, Livia Daza - Paris. As a consultant she took part in the preparation of a video clip for the popular Canadian rock band Danko Jones for Much Music (a Canadian version of MTV).

Shortly before her return to Europe and the foundation of her own trademark "baloun" she worked for Olio Studio in Toronto. The spring 2000 collection that Katerina Baloun presented during her “Virtual Tribe" show was an experimental combination of white and yellow plastics. Her futuristic conception of the woman's beauty in geometric shapes received an unexpected success and copies of Katerina´s models appeared even at the fashion shows of German designers.

In the year 2000, her sister's wedding and her design of her bridesmaids' dresses brought Katerina back to the Czech Republic and thus fulfilled her long-term desire to return home.

Her first local activity was her co-operation with a French producer, Wilfred Prager, during the shooting of the film "My Beautiful Demon". Subsequently Katerina created a collection of mosaic dresses for the architect and designer Martin Sladky and his European premiere of the "de.facto fashion show" in the Schwarzenberg palace in Prague. Dresses from thin plates of 24 carats gold met well-deserved response.

Katerina Baloun´s participation in many other fashion shows is for the time being topped by the " Prague Fashion Days" connected with the "Look Model Of The Year", where together with designers from all over the Europe Katerina presented her autumn 2002 collection.

When in a search for another fashion designer for the TAIZA trademark under the title "TAIZA New Star 2003" started last autumn, Katerina became the winner because of her invention, creativity and unique fashion vision.