Technicolour dreams
- Samira is a self-taught leather worker
- She started working with leather when she lost her job
- She integrates traditional motifs into her modern-looking bags
Samira Salihagić's work is a medley of colours, motifs and shapes. Her pieces incorporate the many things that inspire her on a daily basis. Twenty years ago, Samira suddenly lost her job and – having plenty of time on her hands – began touring craft shops throughout Sarajevo. She was amazed at how master artisans made beautiful items with their hands, she wanted to learn to do the same. At first it was jewellery, but as she mastered the craft she started making bags. Although she still makes jewellery and belts, even leather shoes and dresses, bags are what she always comes back to.
INTERVIEW
Inspiration is everywhere and most of all in myself, in my understanding of beauty and aesthetics. Tradition and nature also inspire me to a lot. I dream in colour.
I try to combine the two. I often use motifs from stećak (monumental medieval Bosnian tombstones), carpets, ethnic costumes and I incorporate them into my contemporary bags.
A sense of freedom at work and contact with wonderful people is something that cannot be found very easily in many other jobs. I love working with natural materials and leather is a great material that offers endless possibilities.
I am quite open and I think my clients know almost everything about my work. But I’d say that I rarely make sketches and drawings of my bags, so I don't know what something I make will look like until the very end. My creations change during the whole making process.
