Collection: Artist: Ivan Ivanoff

IVAN IVANOFF ARTIST BIO

Ivan Ivanoff
was born into the old-world leather craftsman family in Bulgaria. He is the 3rd generation to continue working with leather. His grandfather was a saddle maker. Ivan’s father went into business making ladies handbags designer. At the age of 12 years old, Ivan started helping his mother make handbags at their house after school. At the age of 15 he started working as an apprentice.

He escaped from Communist Bulgaria at the age of 26. He lived and worked in Italy and Germany. Two years later his dream to come to the USA materialized.

He met his wife Kathleen in Manhattan, NY, married & had a family. For 35 years he worked here in the United States for many leading handbag companies. The last one he retired from was Dooney & Burke. After 3 months of traveling in Europe, they decided to settle down in South Carolina. After a year of fishing & hunting, Ivan could not stay idle so, with the help of his wife, he decided to create his own designs using the old country craftsman work his grandfather & father taught him.

He joined the Southern Highland Craftsman Guild in Asheville in 2011-2018, went back to Europe came home in 2019 & joined the guild again in 2023 till now. A total of 61 years working in the leather business.