Less Rush. More Feeling.
Movement as a ritual, beauty that awakens from within, and the luxury of having time to truly experience life. We spoke with Petra Teplá, founder of OPIIUM, about returning to our own rhythm after summer, feminine energy, books worth revisiting, and why her new personal ambition is not to do more, but to experience more.
Born from a love of movement, OPIIUM began as a fashion brand for active women. Yet it was never simply about selling sportswear collections. It has always been an expression of a lifestyle – one rooted in movement, nutrition, self-love and, above all, a close-knit community.
OPIIUM studio is a natural extension of this vision: gentle, feminine and strong. A place where beauty is not created, but awakened. For Petra Teplá, OPIIUM is not simply a studio – it is a state of mind and an approach to life. Every movement experienced here can become a personal ritual of conscious energy. And every piece of clothing follows the rhythm of feminine energy, allowing it the space to shine. We spoke with Petra about finding balance, returning to the body after summer, the small rituals that bring her back to herself, and the mindset she is carrying into the new season.
What helps you maintain balance and avoid being immediately consumed by responsibilities?
For me, balance isn't about drawing a strict line between work and personal life, so returning after the holidays doesn't mean a major change. I'm lucky that I find my work fulfilling and that I manage to balance it quite well with family life. That's why I usually don't feel the need to separate these two worlds too much. OPIIUM studio has naturally become part of my life, and I'm incredibly happy about the community of women that has grown around it. Meeting them, their energy and the relationships that gradually form are personally enriching for me. And perhaps that's exactly what balance means to me – not perfectly divided time, but a life filled with people and things I love.
“This summer felt like a return to my roots. To family, simplicity and what truly matters.”
What would you choose from your offering as the ideal reset for the body and mind?
I would choose a combination of movement, ideally ending with a sound bath. I love the energy, intensity and strength, followed by absolute calm. First, tire the body out a little, strengthen it, and then allow it to truly switch off. I think that after summer, we don't need more pressure to perform or another list of things we should be doing. Rather, we need to reconnect with our bodies and find a rhythm that is our own and that we can maintain in the long term.
Which moment from the past few months has stayed with you the most?
One of the strongest moments was the Spirit Festival abroad with world-renowned teachers, which I attend regularly. The depth, the atmosphere, the music, the intensity. But perhaps even more than that, this summer felt like a return to my roots. To family, simplicity and what truly matters. Bare feet in our garden, long summer days and sleeping under the stars with my children.
Which book have you really enjoyed lately?
Recently, I've been drawn more to books that are objects in themselves. Books about art, the body, architecture and beautiful places. Books you don't have to read from the first page to the last. You leave them on the table, return to them, and each time something different catches your attention.
Then there are books about anatomy, how the body works, and the connection between body and mind. I like things that awaken curiosity and slightly change the way you look at the world around you. For me, the best books aren't the ones I finish, but the ones I return to.
My latest purchases: The Book of Symbols / TASCHEN. The Body Keeps the Score / Bessel van der Kolk.
What is your personal recipe for a moment to yourself?
My strongest ritual is movement. In that moment, I feel energy, strength, life. But I also love any form of nourishing care – fresh air, good food, scents, music, touch, beautiful surroundings. Things that engage all the senses and don't have to be complicated in any way.
My ritual is to experience life through all the senses. To give my body what makes it feel good and surround myself with things that awaken energy and joy within me.
“Perhaps that’s exactly what balance means to me – not perfectly divided time, but a life filled with people and things I love.”
What mindset are you bringing into the new season?
Less rush. More feeling.
I love a fast pace, new ideas and the energy of things taking shape. But I don't want to just create beautiful things. I want to have time to experience them too. To be more present in what is happening right now, instead of constantly thinking about what comes next.
Perhaps my new ambition is not to try to fit more in. But to experience more of what I already have.
