Marija Ivankovic Jurisic

Marija Ivankovic Jurisic is a textile designer, NGO activist entrepreneur and the founder of Marija Handmade brand. She originally founded the brand as a small art workshop with her mother. By 2010, she had opened a flagship design store in the Cumic design district in downtown Belgrade. As a member of the Association of Businesswoman Serbia (ABWS), Marija serves as a mentor to many of the women she employs.

She previously worked in the jewelry company Zlatarna Celje in Slovenia and at PWL Fashion Company in Serbia. She graduated from the Belgrade Polytechnical High School in the textiles and leather design sector.

Along the way, her designs have been featured in international fashion shows in cities like Chicago, Bern, Amsterdam, Den Hague, Paris, and Sydney. Marija was presented with the Flower of the Success Award from ABWS and the Special Prize of the European Entrepreneur Network in Textile Programs.