Janko Hlpka is the last remaining hat maker in Bosnia’s capital. Originally Slovak, he inherited the family business in Sarajevo. Janko has many loyal customers, including singers, actors and other artists from across the Balkans. His hats are worn by popular public figures, such as Rade Šerbedžija, Božo Vrećo and Dino Merlin.
Remzija Balagić went to his father’s workshop after school to learn the skills of handmaking brushes. When he grew up, he took over the craft of making brushes in Sarajevo’s Old Town, applying what his father had taught him and thus preserving the family tradition.
I worked for URBAN magazine as a collaborator for two years. During that period, I created several cover pages and featured images. Here are some examples.