The Holidays with Veba

I love to post travel stories on Thursday, just because I can do the whole #TravelThursday on Instagram *smiles*. Today, I want us to revisit my holidays with VEBA.

Veba is an International company with Czech origins but has its presence in quite a number of countries including Nigeria (386 Muritala Mohammed Way, Yaba, Lagos). They have been in existence for over 160 years, evolving with the trends but never relenting on the quality of their fabric which comprises of pure cotton, prints, brocade, jacquard, voiles and so much more. They also produce home textiles from beddings to table cloths, bath robes, duvets. If you will like to view the new collection, click HERE.

Back to my holidays with the company, it all started at the Export department which is in the country’s capital, Prague. I got introduced to everyone and shown around the office. I spent just a day and half when we had to leave for Broumov.

Broumov is a small town with a population of about 8000 people, most of whom work with Veba. Right there is the Veba headquarters, the historic mills, the atelier, fitness center, congress hall and other major offices. It was a huge moment for me visiting This is the town where Veba Headquarter and its historic textile mills is located.

Upon arrival, we stopped to grab lunch at one of Veba hotels- the one which I understand was a house that one of the past owners of Veba, gifted to his daughter a long time ago as a wedding gift. Today, it is a hotel with a very nice restaurant. I also got to meet with the President of the company, Mr. Josef Novak.  The Director of Sales and Marketing, Mrs. Houskova, was also there in the company of one of Czech republic’s top designer, Beata Rajaska.

After lunch, we went right across to the building that houses the Congress and the wellness center. The center has well-equipped facilities- a golf room, sauna room, Jacuzzi, swimming pool, fitness center, relaxation room. This is what critics might to as a state of the art facility. I had plans to come back for a dip in the Jacuzzi but never made it back in time.

Next stop was the atelier which is the department that handles all the in-house tailoring. I did try some of the pieces that they had and I had fun doing it. The designs were very creative and the finishing, neat.

The tour wasn’t over yet as the Director of Exports, Jana Masinova, made plans for me to visit the Broumov Monastery, one of the oldest in Europe. Jana Bendova and Tereza Novakova were also with me and together, we left to see one of the most magical monuments that I have visited in my entire life. We lost the pictures from the site but, I promise that it will be uploaded again for you to see all the amazing rooms there. The library which I uploaded HERE is one of the rooms and could give you an idea of what history the Monastery holds.

Dinner was at the Manor House was great and that was where I spent the night. The Manor House also belongs to Veba. It is their new hotel and very beautiful. The surrounding is so peaceful. I had a lovely view and the interior was nicely decorated with Veba designs from the beddings to the curtains, the towels, wall frames and every bit of it was lovely. That night could pass for my most peaceful night rest in Czech republic.

The next day, I was up early for breakfast and then, we left to tour the wooden church- one of the small 8 churches in Broumov. Just like the name, the church building is made of woods and it also has a cemetry in the compound. We also lost those images on the site but they will be re-uploaded for your viewing pleasure.

As we were touring, Tereza and the manager in charge of the mills came for us with the clearance for me to visit the Mills. At the mills, I went through all the processes that a fabric goes through- weaving, designing, control, washing and printing. I have never seen that number of machine, each one for a different purpose. At the Mills, you can have any design you desire woven to reality. This should be an attraction for couples who are looking to source unique asoebi designs.

From the mills, I left for the showroom in the Headquarter. The Head of Marketing, Zofie Smetanova, came by and took me with her to the design department where I met with the company’s Illustrators and graphic designers. Looking at their work, I could see that they possess great attention to details. What they do is beyond sketching. They need to ensure that every design on the actual material is replicated digitally, no matter how small it may seem. While there, I saw some of the proposed designs for 2017  and some of the designs for the look book.

My last stop was the sampling and the packaging department. Their job isn’t easy either because Veba is all about the details and to run a good brand, you need to be concerned of your packaging as you are about the design.

Back in Prague, I had to visit the boutiques. They are located in Harfa mall and in Vinohrady quater.

By this time, it was the weekend and the next work activity was slated for Monday when I got to attend the Merecedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week as one of the designers, Petra Ptackova, was showcasing her designs, some of which she designed using Veba.

Spending the holidays with Veba was such a huge moment for me. I had an amazing time and now, I have a deeper understanding of the brand’s mission and vision. I value the fabric even more because I know what goes into it. I love the work ethics and culture and I admire the passion of the staff. working with Veba in Czech Republic that I am so proud to be associated with a brand that stands for excellence.