Petr Lukeš.

I began in the 1990s, when professional makeup artistry was still taking shape in the Czech Republic. Working for Yves Saint Laurent and later Dior gave me valuable experience and a foundation I continue to build on.

Even then, I wanted to follow my own path. I built a personal client base alongside that work and began collaborating with photographers when I became independent. I soon became interested in the complete image: not only makeup, but also clothing, fabrics and style. That is where makeup artistry and styling naturally came together in my work.

My grandmother was a dressmaker and my grandfather a men's tailor. Style was part of everyday life in our family. We thought about what suited us, which fabrics to choose and how to recognise quality workmanship. I later developed that experience through further study and brought it into my work with clients.

In styling, I am most interested in long-term collaboration. Together we build a wardrobe, learn how to use it and connect clothing with lifestyle, personal presence and body language. I want this work to support you every day and give you the confidence to use your style independently.

Clothing is a way of communicating with others. A considered personal style can bring greater confidence, make everyday life more enjoyable and open new possibilities. Like a beautifully set table or a welcoming home, care for our appearance adds another dimension to life. As a personal stylist, I work with both men and women. Men's style is one of my strongest specialisms; helping men develop their dress and personal presence is one of my long-standing commitments. I give the same care and dedication to women looking for their own style — shaped by their personality, the rhythm of their lives and who they want to be.

Photography became part of my work while we were still shooting on film. As a makeup artist and stylist, I needed portfolio images that showed the makeup or a particular styling choice clearly. The photographers were naturally working to our shared client's brief, so the final selection did not always show what I wanted to capture. One day, a photographer I worked with asked me, with a touch of irony:

“Why don't you photograph it yourself?”

That question stayed with me. I gradually turned my photography hobby into my first attempts to capture my own work. It became a years-long adventure: refining my technique, exploring light and finding the right composition. The camera opened up another way to bring my ideas about makeup and styling to life.

It also changed the way I thought during preparation. I created makeup and styling with particular lighting and a final image in mind. All three disciplines came together in one creative process that still fascinates me. I am drawn to contrast, shadows and the mood of a photograph; equally important are the person in front of the camera and what the image should express.

With the arrival of digital photography, this combination became a lasting part of my work. While it had seemed unusual in the film era, other makeup artists and stylists gradually began learning to photograph their own creations. Social media strengthened that interest further. For me, photography remains both an adventure and a way to turn an idea into a finished image.

I held my first makeup and colour analysis courses in 1995. When the association of makeup artists was founded in 1997, I became its president, a role I still hold today. I provide professional leadership for the Association of Makeup Artists and Stylists of the Czech Republic and serve as its lead educator.

In teaching, I bring together solid craft skills, a personal creative signature and new methods. I have developed techniques including thermofixation makeup application and the use of real gold as eyeliner. Sharing experience, explaining how things connect and watching students grow remains a challenge and a pleasure.

I have worked with colour and personal colour analysis for around thirty years. I am interested in a system with a clear logic and results that can be checked. Almost thirty years ago, we began using professional colour references to determine colour undertones more precisely.

Today, I have developed an application and a method for analysing colour undertones using measurable results. We work with a calibration card and also use a colorimeter for colour analysis. Measurement complements experience and helps refine what was previously assessed mainly by eye.

We have developed our expanded twelve-type colour system for twenty-five years and have trained thousands of people in it. For clients, the aim is practical: to understand colour and make informed choices in clothing and makeup.

Throughout my career, I have worked in television both as a makeup artist and as a guest. This has included Czech Television's ČT1, ČT2 and ČT24, Nova, Prima, Slovakia's Markíza and the former Metropol channel, where we also produced a series on men's style.

I have collaborated with Vogue, Style, Hair and Beauty, Dáma and Makeup Magazin, as well as dozens of other newspapers and magazines. I occasionally comment on the style of public figures for daily newspapers and also write in-depth articles for Makeup Magazin. I bring the experience gained from these collaborations, fashion shows and teaching into my personal work with clients.

My career has included fashion shows, work with photographers, my own collections and the development of makeup trends. I designed collections for Gabriella Salvete and helped develop the brand from everyday drugstore cosmetics towards the mid-range market.