Crafting Charisma — The Making of a Presidential Image

Excerpt from Seznam.cz

“The visual image of the newly elected president — one that captivated thousands of Czechs — didn’t come about by chance. It was the result of countless subtle details shaped with the guidance of a stylist and fashion designer.”

At the very first meeting, which focused primarily on creating an image for the campaign billboards, Štěpánka Pivcová brought reference images of charismatic Hollywood actors — deliberately avoiding political figures.

“There were George Clooney, Daniel Craig, and, in some sense, even Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford — men with unmistakable, confident charisma,” she recalls.

Pivcová, who stands behind the complete image of President Petr Pavel and First Lady Eva Pavlová, helped define their now-iconic visual identity — from the recognizable flannel shirts to the coordinated, meticulously planned looks worn during the press conference following the election results.

Read more and listen to the full audio feature at Seznam.cz or Blesk.cz.

Photography: Jiří Turek, Zuzana Bonisch