Our Story 

Hektor + Helena is an independent boutique concentrated on creating timeless bags that are as beautiful as they are functional and able to endure an aggressively vibrant lifestyle for the long term. Founded in 2018 in Whistler, Canada by travel by car lifestyle enthusiasts Michal and Lesley Sikorski, the company provides luxury pieces meticulously handcrafted in Italy by artisans whose families have been practicing the craft for generations. Hektor + Helena products are luxury items that stand the test of time and daily use, aimed at providing the modern woman and man an enhanced work and travel experience through classy, complementary pieces that provide the full Italian luxury experience in an ethical manner and with sensible pricing.               

Our Founders 

Hektor + Helena is the result of the contentious relationship between the love and loathing of high-end fashion, globalization, and a husband and wife. Lesley and Michal Sikorski both love fashion, travel, automobiles, alpine skiing, and each other (87% of the time for the latter). What they dislike is that brands specializing in leather and other luxury goods have grown to the point of mass-producing their products and then destroying tens of millions of dollars worth each year to preserve their price and exclusivity, while simultaneously claiming to care about the environment with gimmicks such as "green" packaging. Furthermore, many of the most well-known luxury brands now employ cheap, sweat-shop-like Chinese labor within Italy to increase margins while maintaining the sought-after "Made in Italy" moniker (see: newyorker.com/magazine/2018/04/16/the-chinese-workers-who-assemble-designer-bags-in-tuscany). After learning these facts on a magical and informative trip to Tuscany and Rome, Lesley and Michal decided they were going to shake up the Italian luxury market and bring handmade, luxury pieces to customers while ensuring the generational artisans that produce them are well taken care of while minimizing the impact production has on the environment.