The story

SUMMER 2018

My nephew Milan, a railway enthusiast, turns 18.
I can't find a proper train-themed gift.
I'm going the easy way, with an envelope, saying: "Buy something because I can't find anything."
But then... I'm looking, still looking and I can't find it... I can't give up!

FEBRUARY 2020

I approach my friend Ondráš to design four prototype T-shirts.
Neither of us knows that this is the moment when Ondráš becomes the graphic father of the Locomotif brand.
He designs the first motifs and creates the logo, which comes from his workshop Mount Graphic.

MARCH 2020

At the finish line of my maternity leave, I switch on the last working threads of my brain and put the LOCOMOTIF.cz shop on its feet.
Just as the first T-shirts are being made and I switch the site to live, a sudden blow. The first wave of Covid.
Everything is closing. Even what can't be closed.
I'm sitting in front of my computer wondering what to do.
I call Ondráš - we put our heads together and over the weekend a project with a specific Czech motif comes up, which kicks off the whole project.

SUMMER 2020

For the first time in my life, I grasp the handrails and I'm climbing into a locomotive, the Austrian.
It happens in Korenov. Thanks to this, the first collection is dedicated to and photographed in this amazing place.
Two train conductors become the faces of Locomotif: Honza Bambušek and Martina Dusilová.
I met both sorts of by chance, as it happens in life. Now I can't really imagine it without them.

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WAIT, THERE'S MORE

On the same day, a guy comes to help me while I take photos - Martin Matys Přikryl.
After a few days, we go for lunch.
We sit in the Tanvald railway bistro, where Matys claims a wish to transfer his own painting onto our T-shirt.
His first motif was born – Orchestrion.
Since then, we have been in contact every day and if there is a smiling sun in Locomotif that gives energy and a good mood, it is him.

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FEBRUARY 2021

I can't resist the idea. I translated the entire Czech shop and tried to get the international website running - LOCOMOTIF.store.
However, I couldn't get it up and running.
There were still errors popping up.
There was no time to fix them while running the operations of a Czech shop.
The first crisis and the first tears come. Then it suddenly clicked. An email came over.
"Can I help you with something?"
Since then, we have real Admin guy - a lover of Krysa machines.
Nobody has ever seen him live.

AND ME?

My name is Ivana.
I'm an example of the fact that if you plan your life ahead, everything goes differently in the end.
The only paper I have besides my driver's license is an international wine certificate.
I didn't know there was a world of railways until I was 40. I spent more time in the clouds and international airports.
The whole Locomotif project came out of the depot the moment everything shut down.
I never wished to have my own business. What do I have now?
A house full of T-shirts. Lots of satisfied customers. An amazing little daughter,
who discreetly disappears at the moment the word train is said.
But most importantly, I have great partners, a wonderful team, the pillars on which I stand.
I wouldn't be here without them.
Every night before I go to bed, I smile to myself and still can't believe how much I enjoy this job.

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Autumn 2021, Česká Lípa – David Morc & me.

The second the camera shutter clicks, we're on the move.
...into the puffing 475.1 engine and I'm going to get my first steam ride.

Smoke and soot in the hair... happiness.