I Will Never Forget Master Marko, the Man Who Helped Me Learn the Trade

While walking through the famous Skopje neighbourhood "Debar Maalo," we came across a truly unique shop, which houses the workshop of Karlo Horvat, one of the rare artisans in Macedonia who has remained loyal to handmade craftsmanship.

Creating works that require time, patience, passion, love, and energy means you must be a true lover of authentic craftsmanship.

Karlo has been crafting this story for a full 10 years. He shares with the kajak.mk team that his journey into handmade leather craftsmanship started completely spontaneously, with no particular ambitions towards becoming a leather artisan.

Today, his unique wallets, belts, women's and men's bags, cases, and necklaces bring joy to his loyal customers—people who truly appreciate the time dedicated to working with leather.

Karlo shares that it all began with the creation of some wallets he made with a close friend. These were trial pieces, experimental and not intended for sale. However, after some time, Karlo decided to visit a master leather craftsman named Marko, who at that time had a workshop in the Skopje Old Bazaar, to refine his craft.

It is often said that to preserve the history and tradition of a people, craftsmanship must be passed down from generation to generation. This is the story Karlo tells, as he learned the craft from Marko and went on to open his own workshop, now known as Kozharska Radilnica Horvat.

In his workshop, you’ll find a variety of products that Karlo Horvat admires equally. He loves all of his creations and emphasizes that he gives the same attention to each one. However, he notes that the satisfaction from more complex products, such as large men's bags, is even greater.

An interesting fact is that Karlo remembers most of the products he has created and sold. He says that up to 90% of the items he has made, he can recognize if he spots them on the streets of the city.

Today, Karlo Horvat's story proudly attracts tourists to visit his shop, and the reason is more than clear—he never uses sewing machines; everything made in his shop is handcrafted. You can find his store on social media under the name: Kozharska Rabotilnica Horvat.