A clear vision, feminine leadership, and two brands that reshape how we perceive beauty, business, and fashion. Teťana Babčuk launched the first dedicated brow bar in the Czech Republic in 2016 — RE BROW BAR — and during maternity leave, turned it into a trusted name with a loyal community. This year, the brand celebrates its 10th anniversary.

She also stands behind WKND. Edition, a curated fashion pop-up with a charitable purpose, spotlighting Ukrainian designers for a European audience.

“I wanted to show Europe that despite the war in Ukraine, we are still capable of creating beautiful, high-quality pieces. The Ukrainian fashion scene continues to evolve – and I’m incredibly proud of that.”

We met in her elegant Prague apartment — filled with vintage details, French touches, and artistic spirit — a space as personal and expressive as her wardrobe. For our shoot, she wore some of her favorite looks, including Ukrainian labels she passionately supports through WKND. Edition.

Over coffee and warm croissants, we spoke about her early days at Louis Vuitton, the power of instinct and discipline, and how she built two businesses while becoming a mother. Motherhood taught her how to delegate. Business taught her how to lead with intention. In this exclusive interview for MAGPAPER, Tetiana shares her journey — one that proves business can be both intuitive and precise, soft and strong.

“I had two babies at once — the brow bar and my son. I had nine months to set up the operations. A few hours after giving birth, I was already handling work calls with my phone in hand.”

We talked about resilience, aesthetics, community, and the transformative role of fashion — and how, when she needs to recharge, she escapes to Paris for art, clarity, and fresh energy.

Your professional beginnings were in luxury management. When did you know it was time to create something of your own?

My father is an entrepreneur, and I’ve been involved in business life since I was little. I always saw this path for myself. But I also knew I needed to gain experience first — ideally in the most successful companies. The moment to start something of my own came when I spotted a gap in the market and felt incredibly excited about filling it. By then, I had already gained enough experience at Louis Vuitton.

What did you take from working at Louis Vuitton into your own business — and what did you know you’d want to do differently?

Louis Vuitton gave me a lot of knowledge and experience that I still draw from today. One thing I implemented right away was the way we communicate with clients — something I learned there. I now teach this approach to my administrators and brow artists, and I see a real difference compared to other salons. For me, it’s important that every client feels special, valued, and pampered during their visit.

What I do differently is how I treat my employees. I run a small business, so I can take a more personal approach. When I left LV, I knew I wanted to be more empathetic toward the lives of my colleagues, offer them flexibility, and resolve issues through honest, respectful conversation.

"When I opened RE BROW BAR in 2016, no one believed this concept would work in the Czech Republic. The first months were the hardest – all I had was discipline, daily effort, and belief. Now, we’re celebrating 10 years on the market, and I’m incredibly proud of the team we've built." Teťana Babčuk

What experience from studying in Milan has stayed with you and influences your daily work today?

Studying in Milan was the first time I saw behind the curtain of the fashion industry. I realized it’s a business like any other — with the same rules, accounting, logistics, etc. It’s not just a glamorous world of beautiful clothes and smiling staff. It’s hard work — and I love that part of it.

While studying Luxury Goods and Fashion Management, I learned how the entire process of creating a collection comes together — from development to marketing to clientelling. I still use all these skills in my work with pop-ups.

When you launched your brow bar in 2016, what was your vision — and what inspired it?

It was the first brow bar in the Czech Republic. At the time, no one went somewhere just for eyebrows. It was usually an add-on to a facial, done while lying down, often for free — and the results reflected that. I wanted to change that approach, so I opened the brow bar right in the center of Prague, in a beautiful space. Almost no one believed I could keep the business running for even three months. But I had seen this concept succeed in Kyiv, and that gave me the confidence to believe it could work in Prague too.

**RE BROW BAR is celebrating 10 years. In a fast-moving beauty world, what has kept it stable and trusted?**
Two things: my brow artists and our loyal clients. I have a small but excellent team of specialists who do amazing work. And our clients know they’ll get not only beautiful brows, but also a warm, welcoming atmosphere — and that we’ll always make time for them. We’ve weathered a lot. Covid was incredibly tough, and now the war in Ukraine has also affected the beauty market in the Czech Republic. But we’ve also had incredible moments. We worked with Rosamund Pike while she was filming in Prague. I love when fashion magazines reach out to us, or when top hotels trust us with their guests’ beauty needs.
**You opened your brow bar while expecting a child. What was it like building a brand while becoming a mother?**
Yes, I had two babies at once — my son and my brow bar. I had nine months to set up business systems. A few hours after giving birth, I was already on my phone handling work matters. Motherhood taught me how to delegate. And when you delegate, you have to accept that things won’t be done exactly how you’d do them — but that’s okay. Only you know what “perfect” looks like. When my son turned one, I launched another project — opening a children’s clothing store, Okaidi, in Chodov. Again, motherhood wasn’t a barrier. He was often with me at work. When you love what you do, you make it work. I honestly couldn’t picture myself on maternity leave.

What helped you most in those early months — intuition, discipline, or a lasting piece of advice?

In the very beginning, it was my parents’ support. They never told me my idea was silly or that I should give up. That mattered — because those first few months were the hardest. It took time for PR to work, and social media wasn’t what it is today. It was also difficult to motivate my brow artists and keep them on board. What kept me going was my discipline, daily work, and belief that I would eventually succeed.

Your second brand, WKND. Edition, began with the war in Ukraine. What motivated the project?

When the war started, my first priority was getting my loved ones to safety. I brought my mom and grandmothers to live with me, and helped others however I could.

Then I asked myself: how else can I help? I know fashion, and I love Ukrainian designers — so I decided to support the Ukrainian fashion industry, which had suddenly gone quiet. Nobody wants to buy dresses during a war. I also wanted to raise funds. I wanted to show Europe that Ukraine can still create beautiful, high-quality fashion. Our industry is evolving, and I’m so proud of that.

What guides your designer selection for WKND. Edition?

I choose based on my personal taste and what I believe Czech women will love. It’s always a mix of timeless pieces and something bold to push fashion boundaries. Women here tend to be conservative — I love when they discover something new, like a color or silhouette they’ve never tried before.

“I wanted to show Europe that despite the war in Ukraine, our fashion industry is still evolving — and I’m incredibly proud of that.” Teťana Babčuk

What’s the deeper goal of the project — support, conversation, or aesthetics?

Over time, I’ve refined the pop-up concept. I didn’t want it to be just a market. And I didn’t want people to shop Ukrainian fashion purely out of solidarity. I wanted them to buy because the clothes are beautiful.Each pop-up includes public talks with inspiring guests, covering current themes in fashion, beauty, and design. Education is important to me. I’d describe the format with five words: aesthetics, refinement, cultivation, individuality, and collaboration. WKND. Edition is still evolving. I’m testing formats, venues, even single-brand concepts. It’s not just about Ukrainian brands anymore — and definitely not just about selling clothes. It’s about opening fashion to new audiences.

Among Ukrainian designers, who’s most aligned with your personal style?

Eighty percent of my wardrobe is Ukrainian. I recommend Bevza, Bobkova, The Coat, Katimo, Hukh, Tonia, and Gudu.

When do you feel most in your power — and how do you protect your energy?

I’m most energized in the morning, so I book all meetings before noon. Afternoons are for family. I pick up my son, and then do emails or accounting from home. Owning your time is the beauty of entrepreneurship. I’m actually an introvert — I recharge at home. My true “power moment” comes about two months before a pop-up. That’s when I have the date, the venue, the vision — and I feel unstoppable.

THE MUSE: Teťana Babčuk — beauty as ritual, fashion as voice

RE BROW BAR is celebrating 10 years. In a fast-moving beauty world, what has kept it stable and trusted?

“I wanted to show Europe that despite the war in Ukraine, our fashion industry is still evolving — and I’m incredibly proud of that.” Teťana Babčuk

Favorite places in Prague — for breakfast, wine, or clear thinking?

What recently brought you joy — outside of work, fashion, or beauty?

MAGPAPER