In a world where fashion often conforms to traditional norms, a mother-daughter duo is redefining individuality and creativity through their unique brand. Driven by a shared passion for fashion and design, they have crafted a business that not only highlights the importance of originality, but also addresses the specific needs of women in the marketplace. Their journey offers valuable insights into the world of female innovators. This narrative explores their vision, the role of intellectual property (IP) and the aspirations they hold for the future, all while championing the power of perseverance and community support. Meet Denisa Huňatá and her daughter Gábina, the creators behind the fashion brand Kussebe.

• Could you share information about your background and personal history?

We are a family team – a mother and daughter – united by a passion for fashion, design and creativity. We’ve always been drawn to unconventional pieces that stand out with their originality. For us, fashion isn’t just clothing; it’s a way to express personality and bring playfulness and uniqueness into everyday life.

My mother, Denisa, is a professional photographer with an eye for detail and aesthetics. I, myself, studied economics and worked in a corporate environment for a while, but I always felt a pull towards my own creative endeavours. The desire to establish a fashion brand rooted in our values, creativity and love for originality ultimately led us to start a business together.

• What inspired the establishment of your company? How did the concept for your business originate?

The idea for our brand came about while I was on maternity leave. The daily hustle of managing two small children made me seek comfortable clothing that also looked good. I constantly struggled with belts that uncomfortably squeezed my waist. That’s when I remembered suspenders, which I had always liked as a fashion accessory. To my surprise, I discovered that there were no suspenders available for women. The market only offered men’s models that didn’t fit the female body and had designs that didn’t appeal to me.

We decided to fill this gap. We began designing our own suspenders, tailored for women’s bodies, with beautiful designs that provided maximum comfort. Our suspenders are made from soft satin, enhanced with our own graphic designs, and due to their flexibility and comfort, they don’t pinch anywhere. In our work, we combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technologies.

Gradually, we expanded our vision to include other products tailored for women that aren’t available on the market, from unique suspender belts that can be worn in multiple ways to corset belts that beautifully accentuate the female silhouette and help refresh a wardrobe easily. We also contribute to the concept of slow fashion—there’s no need to have a full closet; our accessories can revitalise your existing outfits. Our designs stem from our own creativity or arise from collaborations with artists.

We also create custom designs for our suspenders to help customers better emphasisze their style and originality; —they can have their own motto, monogram, favourite motif, or even their own artwork or photograph on them. Fashion is a part of our identity and a language we speak without words, and our accessories help express that.

Our goal is to create fashion accessories that highlight the uniqueness of each individual and help people express their personal style in an original way.

•    In what ways does intellectual property align with your business objectives and goals?

Intellectual property plays a key role in our business, as we focus on the originality and uniqueness of our products. We are introducing new, original products to the market that no one else is creating. We not only create fashion accessories but also designs and graphic proposals that represent our own creative visions. Our work is filled with ideas and energy in every detail—from design to sewing the products to packaging them. Protecting these designs and our brand through intellectual property registration allows us to maintain competitiveness in the market and protect our innovations from being copied.

Our business objectives are closely tied to developing unique products that appeal to a wide spectrum of customers. Securing intellectual property enables us to build a strong brand that stands out from the rest and creates trust among our customers. As our brand grows, we believe that protecting our designs and identity will be a crucial element in achieving our long-term goals.

We want our customers to know they are choosing original and quality products that result from our creativity and hard work. Therefore, intellectual property protection isn’t just a legal matter; it’s also part of our commitment to sustainability and supporting local creation.

'Protecting these designs and our brand through intellectual property registration allows us to maintain competitiveness in the market and protect our innovations from being copied'

• As a female entrepreneur, have you encountered any distinctive challenges? How do you deal with them?

As female entrepreneurs, we’ve faced several specific challenges. One of the biggest obstacles is balancing time between family and work life. Building a business requires significant effort and time before results come in and profit starts to materialise. This process can be exhausting, especially when we want to care for our family life.

One of the greatest challenges we faced was having ideas and a clear vision but lacking experience in running an e-shop or building a brand. It felt like stepping into the unknown. Every aspect of the business was new to us, from setting up the online store to marketing and communicating with customers. We learned as we went along, often through trial and error, which was a substantial investment of energy and time.

We also had to learn to manage everything ourselves, from technical issues to graphic design and social media. Although it was challenging, these experiences strengthened us and helped build a solid foundation for our brand. Fortunately, we’ve been able to draw inspiration and support from those around us, gradually finding ways to turn our ideas into reality.

Participating in an incubation programme focused on innovative businesses was a great help, providing us with the necessary know-how and support for our launch. Winning several entrepreneurial competitions, such as the Businessperson of the Year or the nationwide Woman of the Year award, significantly boosted our visibility.

Additionally, we face the challenge that the Czech market, particularly in fashion, is more conservative and less open to new ideas and eccentricities. We encounter many stereotypes and strive to continue inspiring others. We create products that prove that suspenders can be not only practical but also a stylish accessory that enhances individuality.

It has been important for us to learn how to assert our product while finding a balance between family life and business, without losing the joy of creation. Our approach is persistent resilience, seeking support from family and the community of other women entrepreneurs facing similar challenges. Knowing that we’re creating something unique and inspiring other women is a powerful motivational factor that drives us forward.

• What measures do you believe can be taken to empower and inspire female entrepreneurs?

I think it’s important to share more inspiring stories that reflect the real journey of entrepreneurship in order to support female entrepreneurs. It’s essential to show that success isn’t always easy and that every woman faces her own challenges. These stories should highlight not only dazzling successes but also the real obstacles and hardships that entrepreneurs go through.

By sharing stories of failures and overcoming difficult periods, we can empower and motivate other women during their challenging times. The awareness that other women have faced similar problems, and ultimately overcame them, is incredibly encouraging. This creates space for authenticity and support, where women can feel free to share their own experiences and concerns.

Overall, it’s about creating an environment where women can share their stories, learn from one another and believe that even the biggest challenges can be overcome.

Other measures that can strengthen female entrepreneurship include mentoring programmes, networking events and educational initiatives focused on skill and knowledge development. It’s also important to create a community that offers support and inspiration, where women can encourage and inspire each other.

Investing in women’s entrepreneurship, both from institutions and the private sector, can also play a key role in removing the barriers that women often face in business.

• What advice would you give to other aspiring female innovators contemplating setting up their own businesses?

Our biggest tip is perseverance. Entrepreneurship is often a challenging journey that requires patience and determination. Believe in your product and its value, even when the path seems difficult. Every small step towards your goal is important, so it’s crucial not to give up, even when facing obstacles. It’s also important not to lose the joy of creation and the enthusiasm that drives you into entrepreneurship.

Take care of yourself and don’t forget your own needs. Entrepreneurship can be exhausting, so it’s important to maintain a balance between work and personal life. This includes time for rest, relaxation and self-reflection.

Don’t run your business the way men do—use your intuition and unique perspective. Women often bring creativity, empathy and the ability to listen into business, which are valuable traits. Don’t be afraid to be different and use the joy of creation as a driving force for your business.

Finally, find a support community. Other women entrepreneurs can provide valuable advice, encouragement and inspiration when you need it most. Together, we can create an environment where we support and motivate each other.

• What are the skills necessary for entrepreneurs – particularly women – to be successful in their entrepreneurial journey?

Women entrepreneurs need to be equipped with a lot of ‘super skills’! Business, especially for women, requires the courage to overcome fear: the fear of being seen, breaking through and going your own way.

It’s important to realise that we don’t have to follow established patterns; we can run our businesses in our own way and at our own pace. Finding balance among everything that surrounds us and not losing direction or joy in creation is crucial. Entrepreneurship is often a rollercoaster ride, so resilience, flexibility and the ability to adapt to change are essential. It’s a journey full of challenges but also enormous opportunities for personal growth.

Financial literacy and the ability to navigate sales, marketing and financial management, are absolutely necessary. Entrepreneurship often requires you to be a bit of everything, from accountant to marketer to CEO. It’s a challenge but also an opportunity to expand your skills and become a true leader of your own story.

Women have a tremendous ability to see things differently. They invest heart and unique intuition into their businesses. It’s essential to believe in yourself, persevere, and remember to enjoy every little and big victory along your journey.

• What are your future aspirations? Where do you envision your business 10 years from now?

In 10 years, we envision a stable brand that has secured its place in the fashion world. We plan to continue expanding our product portfolio and collaborating with artists to keep creating inspiring fashion accessories for our customers, who appreciate not only quality but also the creativity of our products. We look forward to where this adventure will take us and how it will develop. We believe our brand has great growth potential and we’re excited to see where this journey leads us. We hope to build a brand that we can pass down to future generations.

We would also like to focus on expanding internationally, where we see enormous potential. Foreign fashion markets are often much more creative and open to new ideas than the Czech market. We believe that our unconventional and original accessories can appeal to customers abroad who are looking for something unique and aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd.

Our path also involves moving towards social entrepreneurship and contributing to building local communities. We want to bring joy to people by offering original pieces that highlight their uniqueness and become their favourite items in their wardrobes.

Check out Kusebe and browse the fashion statement items!