YOUNG WOMAN FROM TREBINJE CREATES A HANDBAG BRAND INSPIRED BY HERZEGOVINA

Young Trebinje native Nikolina Ratković, who works as a civil engineer in Belgrade, has found a way to combine two seemingly different passions: construction and fashion.

PHOTO: Vesna Duka / Nezavisne novine

As a hobby, she developed her own women's handbag brand, “Herka”, inspired by her Herzegovinian roots. Today, her handmade bags are becoming increasingly popular, bringing her more orders than ever.

Nikolina has been making handbags for three years, and what began as a creative escape from her daily work has grown into a promising business.

Although she loves civil engineering, she admits that after spending hours working with calculations and materials such as iron, glass and cement, she sometimes needs a different kind of creative outlet.

That is when she turns to fabrics and other materials, transforming them into practical, modern and unique fashion accessories.

FROM A SINGLE HANDBAG TO HER OWN BRAND

The idea for “Herka” came about spontaneously after Nikolina enrolled in a sewing course simply for pleasure.

“After taking the sewing course as a hobby, a friend asked me to try making a handbag for her birthday, based on her own design. When her friend saw it, she immediately asked me to make one for her as well,” Nikolina told Nezavisne novine.

That was how her first orders began to arrive. Today, many of her customers are people who have seen one of her bags on someone else and decided they wanted a similar model for themselves.

“HERKA” CARRIES A PIECE OF HERZEGOVINA

The brand's name is no coincidence. “Herka” reflects Nikolina's connection to her Herzegovinian heritage, which is also woven into the details of her designs.

Her large handbag has become the signature model of the collection and remains the most popular choice among customers.

“My large ‘Herka’ is still the most popular model, and I even have a slogan for it: if it doesn't fit into my large ‘Herka’, you don't need it. I always use it when I travel, and if I feel the need to add something else, I realise I probably don't need it after all, because everything essential already fits inside,” Nikolina says with a smile.

According to her, one of her friends once described the bag as a way to pack at least a small part of Herzegovina.

In addition to the large model, Nikolina makes medium and small handbags, classic designs with handles, and smaller and larger clutch bags without handles.

EVERY BAG HAS ITS OWN STORY

One of the distinctive features of the “Herka” brand is that Nikolina does not rely on standard patterns. Instead, she adapts each bag to the dimensions and preferences requested by her customers.

Even when she receives orders for several bags of the same model, she tries to give each one a distinctive touch, whether through different colours, an embroidered logo or labels featuring motifs from Trebinje.

The inside of her bags can feature details inspired by Arslanagića Bridge, Anđelkina Kapija, Trebinje's famous plane trees or Mount Leotar.

Initially, she mainly worked with fabrics and upholstery materials, which she continues to source from trusted shops. She now plans to expand her collection to include leather handbags, a step that will require a more powerful sewing machine.

“I always try to make each bag both fashionable and functional. In spring and summer, I work with cheerful, light colours, while autumn and winter call for shades that are more suitable for those seasons,” she explains.

Alongside her handbags, Nikolina also creates accessories such as cosmetic pouches and small wallets that can be attached inside a bag, keeping smaller items organised and within easy reach.

GRANDPARENTS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE

Although she spends most of her time in Belgrade, where she works as a civil engineer, Nikolina remains deeply connected to Trebinje and enjoys returning whenever she has the opportunity.

However, visits to her hometown often turn into working trips, as she finds it difficult to step away from either engineering or sewing.

“I generally try to finish my engineering work in Belgrade, although I sometimes bring that work with me to Trebinje as well. I never leave my bags behind either. I have one sewing machine in Belgrade and two in Trebinje, at my grandparents' home, where I stay when I visit,” Nikolina says.

Her grandparents are not just a source of encouragement but also actively help her with the production process.

“Interestingly, both of them get involved. My grandmother turns the bags inside out, while my grandfather switches the sewing machine on and off and hands me whatever I need,” she says.

Their support means a great deal to her, making the family an important part of the “Herka” story.

NEW PLANS: LEATHER HANDBAGS AND EMBROIDERY

Looking ahead, Nikolina plans to expand her collection, with a particular focus on leather handbags and decorative embroidery.

She purchased an embroidery machine this summer. For now, however, she still often embroiders the “Herka” logo and personalised messages by hand, especially when a bag is intended as a gift.

From sewing a single handbag for a friend to building a brand that attracts an increasing number of customers, Nikolina's story demonstrates how a hobby can grow into a distinctive creative business.

By combining the precision of civil engineering, a passion for craftsmanship and motifs inspired by Herzegovina, she creates handbags that are more than fashion accessories — they are also a small reminder of the region she calls home.