On 22.03.202, under Skopje’s warm spring sun and among blooming trees, HAEMUS in cooperation with KREAKTIVA – The Storytelling & Experience Design Studio, welcomed the Nordic–Baltic designers and their Macedonian counterparts into a storytelling experience that unfolded from Skopje Fortress through the evolving layers of the city, all the way into its contemporary spaces—while the Old Bazaar remained at the heart of the journey.
This storytelling journey was crafted and curated by Vasilka Dimitrovska, founder of HAEMUS and KREAKTIVA.
Through carefully designed interpretation, participants moved across time, exploring monuments, stories, and living traditions, discovering how heritage continues to shape the identity of Skopje today.
A special moment of the experience was the visit to the exhibition of Dimitar Kondovski at the Museum of Macedonia. As one of the most renowned Macedonian artists and illustrators, Kondovski’s work—particularly his cycles inspired by Macedonian fairy tales—reveals a unique visual language. His illustrations feel like living icons, where subtle patterns echo medieval iconography and traditional symbolic codes. In every line, one can sense his profound knowledge and deep love for Macedonian heritage.
Within the Old Bazaar, alongside visits to key monuments, participants also explored the Museum of the Old Bazaar, located on the first floor of Suli Inn. This space offers a valuable overview of the traditional crafts that once defined the Bazaar—some preserved, others lost—providing insight into the artisanal spirit that shaped this historic urban core.
At HAEMUS, we believe that heritage is not static—it is something we activate, reinterpret, and carry forward. This experience was designed as a starting point: a shared space where culture and tradition meet creativity, innovation, and sustainable fashion.
The Green & Sustainable Fashion – Nordic–Baltic Story Residency Programme is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and implemented by the Embassy of Sweden in Skopje, in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade, the Embassy of Finland in Belgrade, the Embassy of Denmark in Serbia, and the Lithuanian Embassy Office in Skopje, in partnership with the Macedonian Fashion Association and Fashion Weekend Skopje.
Photos by Embassy of Sweden in Skopje & Macedonian Fashion Association
