I was only six months old when I first sat upon a horse and my father’s passion for these majestic, graceful animals overwhelmed me. Seven years later, I became a dedicated horse rider. The love for horses influenced my entire life, including my biggest passion – handmade leather bags.

At about the same age I discovered where my father had kept his tools for fixing his riding equipment. This treasure chest was my first encounter with the magic of creation, so the next several years of my life I worked my fingers to the bone. I explored and discovered. I learned and tried. I failed, but I succeeded.

The first things I made from scratch were two leather bags. I used them for practicing my skills but I remodeled them so many times that in the end I had to throw them away. It was a bittersweet experience: I did make something good, but it was far away from meeting my criteria. Knowing that these principles shouldn’t change, I continued to improve my skills.

 

Through my entire adolescence I experimented with cutting, sewing, and painting leather. At that time I realized that it wasn’t only my hobby, something I did besides my regular job. It wasn’t even a job, but destiny’s call, my mission, a way to express myself and to feel alive.

The art of designing and creating took over me entirely, and I found a way to transfer it to other people – by creating pieces of leather bags and accessories which will reflect my philosophy and passion.

My work and art became the Marko Popov brand in 2015.

 

In the world dominated by the industrialized mass production, I live my passion not only through designing leather bags and accessories but also taking part in the entire process of their creation.

Such process is stimulated by things, places, and people that inspire me. In a way, all of them are intertwined in every single piece that leaves my workshop.

Every single part of a bag and accessory is handmade which guarantees its uniqueness. Something my customers highly appreciate is that I take my time in designing, and I don’t stop until every single detail is perfectly transferred from my idea to my hands. It results in small series of products, with the compelling touch of luxury and elegance, while quality remains essential and uncompromised.

What makes my brand stand out is a nonclassical design and traditional production, which reflects in every piece of leather goods people sharing and recognizing these values receive.