Embedded in the emerging Prague fashion culture, THE ROOM By Basmatee is one of the city’s only stores dedicated to authentic streetwear culture. Friends Jiří Svoboda and Martin Hosnedl, the store’s owner and buyer, respectively, started the shop with to catering to their vision of effortless menswear, introducing new labels to the Czech streetwear landscape. That includes local upstarts like Jan Cerny; THE ROOM even supported the young creative by hosting one of Cerny’s early presentations.

“We love what Jan is doing,” Hosnedl affirms. “It’s important that we continue working with him, no one else in Prague is making clothing like [Cerny].” Along with a variety of Cerny’s garments, the store stocks inventive young labels like Samuel Ross’ POLYTHENE* OPTICS, Heikki Salonen’s Vyner Articles, NemeN, HELIOT EMIL and Tobias Birk Nielsen. “The clothes are things that we like to wear,” Hosnedly explains. “But we also want to introduce fashionable young [Czech] people to new things.” On THE ROOM’s website, the duo asserts that “rather than big mainstream brands, we carry unique, high quality goods from small independent labels that will meet needs of any demanding customer.”

When we catch up with the duo, Hosnedl and Svoboda are dressed similarly, showcasing understated variations of their own daily styling. Hosnedl sports a Jan Cerny jacket and wide COMME des GARÇONS Shirt trousers. “Personally, I like to mix a little workwear style,” Hosnedl explains. “I want to be comfortable all day.” Meanwhile, the quiet Svoboda wore a Henrik Vibskov shirt and “Some old jeans,” he says. Gesturing to his slim bangles and rings, the sole flash of light against his muted look, Svoboda acknowledges, “I usually don’t leave home without these.”

Inside, THE ROOM’s intimate space carries a selection of well-known designers alongside the avant-garde imprints. maharishi, CdG Shirt and Vibskov provide progressive twists on menswear tropes, while workwear-indebted brands like Vetra and Bleu de Paname offer shoppers timeless staples. “It’s all quite different, but still similar,” says Hosnedl. “The idea of the uniform is very attractive, when people find clothes that just work for them and they wear [the same garments] for years.”

THE ROOM by Basmatee
Školská 7
110 00 Nové Město
Czech Republic