Numero:
-Barbara, as a representative of the fashion
world, do you think the pandemic had any
positive impacts on the pace, creativity or
diversity of our industry?
Barbara:
-I definitely think the pandemic has made everyone,
including professionals from our industry, stop and
think. Travelling and rushing all the time, we never
really had time to take care of ourselves. Right
now, when we are all forced to take a breather,
everything is a little slower and calmer, in my
opinion at least. The whole world doesn’t jump on
flights everyday. The positive results are obvious:
shoots are not organized last minute, every process
is more thought through. Speaking about my
shooting for Numero, I absolutely loved the process
and the concept! Any weapons or Amazons are
really close to my heart, so I felt a little bit like
a character while shooting the story. I also love
George’s photography. He made me look very cool
and sexy at the same time.
Numero:
-А lot of girls go to Asia to start their modelling
career. How does modelling there differ from
the industry in America or Europe, based on
your experience of each?
Barbara:
-The thing is that you can only start working in the US
once you’re 16 but, for example, in Japan you can
start at 13, so that’s one of the main reasons why
a lot of people start their career there. Answering
your question, I don’t think modeling there is very different, because there are so many of us from all
over the world. The people kind of shape the industry
in the same way as everyone else.
You talk about starting a career at a young age.
Numero:
-How did you first get scouted?
Barbara:
-It was a very unusual situation. My mom and I were
walking home from a strike against the Prime Minister
of that time. All the people were chanting and right
in the middle of this chaos, as we were walking next
to the Parliament, I got scouted.
Numero:
-What do you love about what you do?
Barbara:-
The fact that I get to travel everywhere, meet different
people, cultures and learn different languages. That’s
the most amazing thing for me.
Numero:
-Have you ever had situations during your
work abroad that were new to you or hard to
understand?
Barbara:
-Obviously, the photoshoots are different processes.
Some countries have a culture for long lunch breaks
and just living life to its fullest every day. When I was
shooting in Spain everything went so slow, we had
wine during lunch and a siesta afterwards... To see
my crew so laid-back like “hey, Barbara, do you want
to have a glass of wine?” was so interesting for me,
because I have a no-drink rule. I know a lot of models
like to drink before and during the shoots, but I only
celebrate afterwards.
Numero:
-What have been the biggest challenges you
have faced professionally and looking back at
them, how do you feel?
Barbara:
-I think, to stay in shape. Throughout my career
I was constantly trying to lose weight, because
I was curvier than the other girls. Right now I am
happy with the direction that this industry is going
in, as it gave me this freedom of not having to fit
into standards set by others, because all body types
and shapes are being accepted now more or less.
Although the fashion industry has got much to strive
for, I think what is happening now is a beautiful thing
already, because we should celebrate every woman
for the way she is naturally. That was my struggle for
years to feel confident, because I felt like I needed
to lose more or work out more, whereas now I’m at
peace with my body. I have chosen to take care of it.
If my body needs a burger, I’ll give the burger to it.
Numero:
-As someone with a very large audience on
social media, you have influence over many
people’s opinions. Do you feel responsible for
the message you are trying to communicate on
Instagram?
Barbara:
-I always try to stay true to myself, even on social
media. I share my day to day life, not just work. Some
of my content is devoted to supporting the artists
that I work with. I post about my day at home when
I'm literally laying in bed with my stuffed animals,
eating cheesecake and watching TV shows, so that
people can relate to it and feel better, knowing that it
is normal not to always give 100%. At the end of the
day, it is all about connecting with people.
Numero:
-Tell me more about your Instagram project with
your boyfriend Dylan Sprouse. Is it just for fun
or are you planning to develop it into something
bigger?
Barbara:
-It started off as a fun project that we were filming
with our friends and gradually it grew into something
bigger. Essentially, it is our personal story of finding
common grounds, and starting to build a house
together on top of that. As this house is being built,
we are evolving in our relationship, which is kind of
mirroring each other. I am hoping to continue this
journey and film it but I can’t say more about that
right now.
Numero:
-The theme of this issue is WORLD. You are
originally Hungarian, but worked all around
the world and now live in the USA. Do you still
consider yourself Hungarian?
Barbara:
-Actually, very recently we packed all our stuff and
decided to move from Brooklyn to LA. Even now
we’re here, I consider myself 100% Hungarian. It
was hard to travel back home during the pandemic
and I couldn’t see my family that often but now that
everything is open, I see my parents every time I can.
So, I would definitely say I am Hungarian to the heart.
Numero:
-What top-3 things do you love about your
country and would like for people to know?
Barbara:
-The first one has to be Hungarian food. It is still my
favorite thing in the whole world, so even in the US
I travel around with my homemade sausages. I also
think that architecture in Hungary is just amazing,
so I strongly suggest that anyone, who is making
travel plans, makes a stop in Budapest because it’s
beautiful there. Most importantly, we, Hungarians,
bond through taking shots of Palinka, which is
a 58% liquor made from fruit, mostly peach, plum
or grapes. When you take shots together, it is a sign
of friendship.
Turns out Russians and Hungarians have a lot
in common.
I guess so.
Numero:
-What are the most common misconceptions
about Hungary?
Barbara:
-People always think that it’s very cold in Hungary.
During a lot of fall-winter photoshoots they would
just assume that I wasn’t cold, simply because I am
Hungarian. We still have the four seasons and even
if it’s freezing in winter, we have extra hot summers.
Maybe that’s the only thing people get wrong. Other
than that, they are quite right about us drinking and
eating a lot.
Numero:
-What’s one thing outside of your work that you
would like people to know about you?
Barbara:
-I’m such an open book, so I think people know
everything already. I love cooking and fishing. I also
have a lot of family businesses, because I’m very
family oriented. We’ve opened up an event space
for weddings in the countryside in Hungary recently,
which I’m very proud of. My sister took up the role of
a graphic designer for the event, my parents managed
the gardening and the land, while my godmother‘s son
and his wife were the chefs. I like to be involved in that
in parallel with modelling, so the last time I went back
home I was actually waitressing at a wedding until
5 a.m. two days in a row. Honestly, it’s such a hard
job and I handclap standing to anyone who is doing
this every weekend.