Interviews

Barbora Bergová: I keep an eye on fashion trends, but I’m not a slave to them

Published: 8. 5. 2023
Author: Šárka Jansová
Photo: archives of Barbora Bergová
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Barbora Bergová, the founder and owner of the BB Media Consulting PR and event agency, has been a staple of the Czech fashion scene since 1999. She’s a renowned media consultant, but also the co-owner of a French jewelry boutique called Messika Paris.

How did you get to be in such a prestigious line of work?
By accident. I love fashion, fashion magazines, design – I’ve been fascinated by this world since I was a child. I also possess good communication skills and I’m good at interconnecting different people and projects. When I was starting out, there was no specific PR profession, but on the other hand, the luxury fashion business was really starting to take off, with the biggest brands entering the Czech market. Back then, I worked for an Italian group that owned four different boutiques on Prague’s Pařížská street. I was fully in charge of operations, merchandise selection, and marketing. When I decided to start my own PR and marketing agency in 2007, I followed my dream despite some initial hurdles. The job one does should be done with joy and passion, and it should also be fun, that’s the only way to be successful. You mustn’t be afraid, take a risk every now and then, and learn from your mistakes.

Have you succeeded in introducing any new fashion brands to the Czech market?
Last December, I opened a boutique with a luxury line of French jewelry called Messika Paris, which I am the co-owner of. Messika is a young, very cool brand of French jewelry of the highest quality. What sets it apart is the timeless design of its diamond pieces, which are also designed to be worn every single day. These days, women don’t buy jewelry just to store it in a safe, which is also the philosophy of this brand. Our prices start at 20 thousand crowns, and go all the way up to the millions; there’s something for everyone here. Internationally speaking, the brand’s been very successful, and it entered the Czech market at just the right time.

What do you yourself like to wear on a regular day, and what do you select for special occasions?
I do keep up with fashion trends, but I’m not a slave to them. I wear what looks good on me, and what fits my body type. I dress according to my mood and the occasion. When it comes to social events, I’m not afraid to experiment with more extravagant pieces. I don’t like to wear the same things as everyone else, though, that’s something I actively try to avoid. I invest in quality because it lasts forever. I enjoy timeless fashion, I own jackets and coats I’ve been wearing for fifteen years. It’s the same thing with my accessories, quality always wins over quantity. Recently, I’ve been spending the most on jewelry.

As the owner of the BB Media Consulting agency, how many people are on your team, and how do you pick them?
There are five at the moment, and we work together with many others externally. We hire out when it comes to graphic designers, technical production, or catering. I choose my colleagues very carefully. I don’t care solely about exceptional CVs, I also need to click with them on a personal level. I put a lot of stock into my gut feeling and first impressions. I’ve had a stable team for several years now, and we even managed to survive the difficult times of covid.

What are some of the things you’re in charge of as owner of the agency?
It’s a big responsibility, and I have to be in control at all times, bringing in business and paying clients, having an excellent team. The upside is that I can do my job from pretty much anywhere.

Your clients are household names. Can you point out a particularly exceptional collaboration?
Our collaboration with Chanel is definitely exceptional and highly prestigious – we helped them open a boutique in Prague. I consider that a great success, and a “dream job”, so to speak. Aside from that, there was an event for the Tiffany brand, which we’ve represented on the Czech market for over a decade now. The Swiss watchmaker Hublot is very pleasant to work with. We’ve done a lot of lovely projects for them all over Czechia and Slovakia. It’s no expense spared where they're concerned, they understand very well that since their clients are happy to pay between 15 and 20 thousand euros for their pieces, the events must be appropriately luxurious in return. They also do the best press trips for journalists. It is thanks to those that I’ve met some very exciting people, like Pelé and Maradona, Bar Refaeli, Adriana Lima, Daniel Arsham, Samuel Ross, and others. I also really enjoyed working with the Kampa Museum, doing PR for the Manolo Blahnik exhibition called "The Art of Shoes", where we were in charge of media communication. I’ll never forget that week I spent in the presence of the living legend himself, he’s an incredibly inspiring person.

What does organizing an event actually entail?
Every little detail matters, and reaching an understanding with the client is of utmost importance. We organize these events in a turnkey manner from A to Z, from selecting a location to inviting all the relevant guests. It’s a job that takes up several weeks, and there’s no room for underestimating anything. I always take care to make our events one of a kind, I never copy anyone. We don’t invite "party extras", but rather relevant potential clients, which also sets us apart from the competition. We bring interesting artists to Prague, most recently it was the famous cover band The Charly’s Angels. They did a show at the Andaz Hotel Christmas party, and the atmosphere was simply indescribable. I’m happy with any project where the guests and the client are satisfied.

You’re also a member of the honorary board of the Be Charity endowment fund...
That one was founded by my friend and great philanthropist Bára Nesvadbová, and it has outstanding credit. I am in charge of the traditional gala dinners at Be Charity among other things, and together we pick the guests, items that are put up for auction, and so on. All the money raised, down to the last dime, is spent to support mostly handicapped children. They’re specific projects, the money doesn’t get sent who knows where. Be Charity is one of a few funds with very transparent financing; we’ve worked together for over fifteen years. It’s a lot of teamwork, very difficult but also very necessary and needed. Just last year, we managed to raise over seven million crowns in the course of a single evening. Just this year, the Czech Vogue team joined us.

How do you relax, with such a demanding job?
I like to spend my free time with my family, my partner. I love sports, mountains, travel. But I relax the best when I switch off my phone and spend some time in nature. I do a lot of yoga, I ski every weekend in the winter. I love massages, and at least once a week, I visit the By Femme studio in Prague for their amazing beauty treatments.


BB MEDIA CONSULTING
The agency offers a complete package of PR and marketing services, including influencer marketing. It specializes in fashion and luxury brands, lifestyle, art, top developer projects, cosmetics brands. It introduces new brands and products to the Czech and Slovak markets. It provides turnkey events, organizes press conferences, press trips and social media PR, product photography, campaigns, cover photos, comprehensive production, and product placement. It boasts long-term outstanding relations with key media outlets and influencers and organizes turnkey fashion shows. It’s been cooperating long-term with leading international fashion brands. Its clients include Tiffany & Co, Hublot, Prada, Chanel, COS, Pandora, ABOUT YOU, Moët Hennessy, Andaz Hotel Prague, Hotel Mozart, By Femme – Miracletox. More information at www. bb-media.cz .

Barbora Bergová

Barbora Bergová

The recently opened Messika Boutique is located in Prague's Široká street

A white-gold ring with Move Uno Multi Pavée diamonds from the Messika Paris selection

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