About me
Social Media
Karlova Leatherwork Patterns Facebook Group
About the Designer
Hi there, my name is Marina Karlova, I live in Tbilisi, Georgia, and I love designing new stuff out of leather. I've been designing something most of my life (started in 1998 as a graphic designer) but around 2016 I found out that the most exciting thing to do is to design real things for real life.
I was born in Novosibirsk, Russia in 1981, lived in Moscow 1999 - 2009, in Ecuador 2009 - 2011, in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2011 - 2014, and in Rio Dulce, Guatemala (on my sailboat) in 2014 - 2021. In 2021 I came back to Russia for some reason, and then everyone knows what happened, so I have lost my business, all my shops were suspended, and in October 2022 moved to Tbilisi with one suitcase and my chihuahua Bonny. I had to leave all my tools and leather behind. I don't know if I'll ever be able to restore my Etsy shop.
This website is my new beginning, so I have changed the design completely. I hope I will gather some leather and tools and will be able to design new patterns in the near future.
So, chihuahua Bonny is the model on the Bonny Dog Bed pattern, she had been traveling with me since Guatemala, and she is the reason I started sewing (she needed tiny dog thingies like harnesses and carriers, now she's got dozens).
Design Awards
Moscow XV International Advertising Festival 2005 (Gold)
Golden Site 2001 (Gold, Silver)
ADCR Awards (Short-list)
British Fashion Festival 2020, 2021 - Best Bag Designer
My Other Special Interests
Music - I compose songs, sing, play guitar, piano, drums, accordion (a little), I have an album, you can listen to my songs on Soundcloud
Fragrances - I use to have a huge collection in Moscow, now I have only 1, because they didn't fit in my suitcase.
Photography - well, this one you can tell, right?
Graphic design - I have created a few fonts, did a little bit of calligraphy and I love designing logos for each of my bag designs.
Cooking - this is another favorite creative activity of mine. I looove good food :)
Wine, beer, cussing like a cobbler (or like a sailor? I have been both! I have finished sailing courses in Buenos Aires and made myself a few pairs of shoes). Btw, I speak English, Russian and Spanish so you can use either of them if you want to cuss ask questions.