Tag Archives: Travel photography

The last standing perfumery in Belgrade

“Smell is a patent wizard that transports you across the thousands of miles and all the years you have lived…” Helen Keller

During my visits to Belgrade, I often pass by this little boutique perfumery located in Kralja Petra 75. The vintage look of products and photos on display romantically tell the story of the shop from the old days, and made me curious about this place and its owner.

The business, run by Nenad Jovanov, originates back from the beginning of 1941, when Nenad’s uncle opened a perfumery shop, at the time called “Djurdjevak” (meaning Lilly of the Valley), and it was joined by Nenad’s father few years later. Since then the shop changed its name several times, to “L’Amour” and eventually “Sava” when the business moved to the current site in Dorcol.

Photos from Nenad’s family archive, ©Nenad Jovanov

As many other properties in the former Yugoslavia, the business was nationalised during the communist era but eventually was returned to the same family so they could continue to run it.

Decades ago the shop used to be advertised with the leaflet like this, created from the slide used as advertised material in the cinema before the movie would start. The original black and white slide has been hand painted and is still displayed in the shop window. This campaign was made in 1956.

Using leaflet was an alternative to the more expensive advertising on the radio, and the television was not used for this purpose at the time.

Nenad and his father have in common years of working experience in the pharmaceutical industry, having being employed by the same company, Saponia Osjek. Nenad too accepted an offer from Saponija following the father retirement as their Belgrade representative.

The crumbling of Yugoslavia led Nenad to return to work with his family in the perfumery ‘Sava’ from 1998, and since 2009 he is running the business on his own. Nenad tells us that his mother used to handle the payments quietly sitting in the corner of the shop overlooking the entrance door.

I was invited to assist in the preparation of some perfumes in the back shop labs, a small and intimate world of machinery and tools where Nenad uses his mastery to blend different solutions.

From Nenad’s expertise, dedication and passion, originates “Belgrade Nights”, a perfume created in two versions for ladies and gents, made for the Night of the Museum event (held once a year when the museums in Europe stay opened until midnight). Both fragrances take inspiration from the old trading days when ladies with a flowery scent, would await for the sailors smelling of spices as they were back from exotic locations.

The shop has barely changed since it was opened and it is a place of dear memories, with vintage photos of Nenad’s family on the wall, from old days prior to the World War II.


Nenad is a keen photographer, and very proud of a photograph (above) of his parents he has taken as a young boy

Nenad photographed approximately ten years ago (above) ©Nenad Jovanov

 

A constant stream of clients pays a visit to this shop daily. Some for a few drops of valuable perfume and handmade face creams, others for advice whether their favourite scent could still be produced here. It is a pampering experience that puts a smile on people faces. Of course no-one is going to walk out from “Sava” without begin seduced by some new fragrances, so I bought “Belgrade Nights” for myself.

The perfumery is in Kralja Petra 75, Belgrade

Thanks to Vesna for translating and Nenad for providing some of the photos from the personal family archive.

More information about “Sava”, on the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/parfemisava

 

Posted in Belgrade, People at work, Portrait, Serbia, Travel Photography Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Discovering Rural Serbia

During the last visit to Serbia we have decided to explore smaller monasteries between the town of Cacak, Krajevo and Ivanjica. These monasteries are usually reachable driving on mountain off road and, compared to the major ones (some of them part of UNESCO), offer a warm hospitality by the local monks or sisters, curious about tourists and always keen to share home-made cakes with coffee or liquors. A far more enriching experience compared to the guided and less personal tours offered by the well-known sites.

This is the monastery of Kovilje, a female monastery since 2010, located nearby the village of Bratjevo, and reachable driving on a dirt road for about 8 km, very steep and muddy at this time of the year. It is well hidden in the forest and the sisters fund the monastery through the sale of wood.

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I was given permission to photograph the beautiful interiors, adorned with frescoes approximately a thousand years old.

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Even more interesting is how the visits to this monastery led me to discover the whole area around Ivanjica.

Having rented a city car unsuitable for these countryside roads, we stopped in the village of Bratljevo to find some locals to take us to the monastery. However, because of adverse weather condition and sudden snow it was not possible to drive. We decided to extend our stay and use the opportunity to explore the village and surrounding fields.

For those who are not familiar with this part of the world, the whole region around Ivanjica is a major hub for the raspberries production, and Ivanjica is hosting an important meeting to create an association of raspberries growers in Serbia. In fact, this region produces one fifth of the whole Serbian production.

In summer, family of workers from different regions will convene to these fields to pick up the raspberries which will be exported to various European locations. It is a critical business and good source of income for an area that has seen many factories closing in the last few years, and increased unemployment. For some people this is the main activity, for others an additional income to rely on. Workers are offered food, accommodation and a modest pay by the field owners.

At this time of the year, fields are being prepared before the season starts, and we have met some of the locals.

 

This is Radenko, a man behind the creation of the association of raspberries growers.

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He invites us to see his fields, and we could not leave without having lunch at his place where we met the whole family. His mother was happy to be photographed too.

Brothers Adam and Miloje, keep a wonderful clean and tidy household.

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Miloje invited us to have coffee and rakija with him. He talks about young generation not willing to live in these remote villages, hence there are quite a few single men around.

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Another raspberry grower was keen for me to take his portrait in the field.

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An interesting aspect of this rural area are old wooden houses, called Vajati.

It is not unusual to have a number of different houses in the household, each of them serving a different purpose such as being the main accomodation, keeping the animals or cheeses and kajmak.

I come across this old group of wooden houses, still used as intended as the farmer moved to newly built house which offers more confort.

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Another feature of these houses is that they have an entry door on both sides. This was to allow more escape routes during the enemy invasion.

Some interiors still keep original furniture, like this old bookshelf and a gas lamp from the time when they did not have electricity in the village (as late as early eighties)

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Wondering around the fields, we met Slava who welcomed us to her house.

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The hospitality of the people here has been overwhelming, and it has tested our tolerance to rakija. This brandy is now seen as a morning medicine 🙂

We hope to visit this region of Serbia again in summer to document the raspberry picking, and enjoy the beautiful landscapes this region has to offer.

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Francesco

Posted in People at work, Serbia, Travel Photography Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , |

A Little Blue Crafts Shop in Belgrade

This April in Belgrade I come across a small boutique shop for making brushes and decorative objects located in the very centre of the city.

This family business, opened in 1965, is now run by Ruzica Zivkovic, who personally makes all products by hand. As part of the manufacturing process, she selects the hairs, washes and dries them, and knots them together to different shapes. The wood is sourced from a local supplier and hand shaped to meet individual requirements. The final product is much better quality compared to those from industrial production, but also slightly more expensive.

In difficult times people do not have money to buy, and Ruzica struggles to keep up with the expenses. Some of her special brushes have remained on the shelves for years.

Ruzica tells me that Belgrade would benefit from a centre with the main purpose to promote precious traditional crafts and their conservation. And it is not just about the quality. There is passion, commitment and tradition behind each hand made item.

The point is that there many family run businesses like this, on the verge of closing, that need promotion to attract an increasing number of tourists visiting Belgrade.

Ruzica worries about the survival of her shop. Her husband passed away last year and her two kids, grown up and graduated at the University, might have different ambitions and not take the business forward. It is sad for her to imagine this shop closing down, it carries dear memories.

 (Džordža Vašingtona 18, Beograd, Srbija)

Ruzica has welcomed us warmly, and I bought a beautiful shaving brush for myself. Next time I am in Belgrade, I hope to hear that her shop is doing well.  I also hope to hear that someone has opened a Crafts Centre as it would be a fantastic add on to this fascinating, well worth exploring city.

 

Francesco

London, 1st May 2014

Posted in Belgrade, People at work, Serbia, Travel Photography Also tagged , , , |

International Photography Awards (IPA) 2013

I am very pleased to find out that I have been awarded 1 Honorable Mentions at the International Photography Awards (IPA) 2013 for my work in Venice….

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Thanks to the IPA judges for awarding my work, I feel honored to be part of the Honorable Mentions Gallery.

Francesco

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