Studio Lugo’s Anachron reimagines Anatolia’s Craft Traditions
For the 2025 edition of Alcova in Milan Design Week, Studio Lugo presents the Anachron series, a new collection exhibited from April 7–15 at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi. Based in Istanbul, Studio Lugo draws upon Anatolia’s layered cultural and material history, a region that has long served as a point of convergence between Europe and Asia.
The Anachron series references agricultural practices and craft traditions originating in Anatolia, dating back to approximately 8,300 BC. The collection integrates influences from regional techniques in ceramics, metalworking, woodworking, embroidery, and quilt making. These references are embedded into modular furniture, such as seating objects, tables, decorative pieces, and lighting elements that explore spatial rhythm and tactile engagement. Designed elements include suspended wooden rods terminating in steel bells, creating ambient sound reminiscent of pastoral environments. Shifting daylight interacts with curated lighting to generate evolving shadows and visual conditions throughout the exhibition.
all images by Stefania Zanetti – Matteo Bellomo
Anachron Furniture Series fuses Fabric, Horsehair, and Steel
The term Anachron is derived from ‘anachronism,’ indicating a disjunction in temporal context. This concept is expressed through the juxtaposition of historical motifs with contemporary material strategies and forms. Through Anachron, Istanbul-based Studio Lugo channels millennia of craft traditions into present-day objects. The collection emphasizes reinterpretation over replication, minimizing ornamental detail in favor of pared-down silhouettes and modular structures. Eleven made-to-order pieces form the basis of the presentation, where craft techniques are adapted for modern production.
Material selection plays a central role in shaping the identity of the collection. Kutnu fabric, traditionally woven in Gaziantep and once used in Ottoman garments and accessories, appears here for the first time as upholstery in collectible furniture. Hand-brushed horsehair is paired with stainless steel, establishing a dialogue between organic textures and industrial precision. The use of horsehair also references Anatolia’s equestrian history and traditions of herding. Roupala tree veneer, known for its intricate lacewood grain, adds visual depth to select furniture and lighting components. Stainless steel elements are used throughout the collection to signal a contemporary industrial aesthetic while remaining grounded in a craft-oriented approach.
Studio Lugo debuts the Anachron series at Alcova 2025 in Milan
set within Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, the collection draws from Anatolia’s craft heritage
Anachron explores spatial rhythm through modular furniture and lighting
ceramics, woodworking, and embroidery traditions inform contemporary design forms
organic materials meet industrial finishes in the interplay of horsehair and steel
each of the eleven pieces responds to Anatolia’s agrarian and artisanal legacy
Roupala tree veneer adds natural pattern and depth to lighting and tables
custom seating elements reinterpret traditional Anatolian craftsmanship
Kutnu fabric, once worn in Ottoman palaces, is reintroduced as furniture upholstery
modular forms invite interaction, movement, and reinterpretation
stainless steel components reflect industrial precision with crafted restraint
the collection blends traditional craft processes with contemporary production methods
Studio Lugo frames design as a living archive of Anatolia’s material culture
1/12
totem
console
stool
center grid
wall
mini
stool hand-carved edition
bench
bar pendant
globe
construction process
construction process
project info:
name: Anachron Series
designer: Studio Lugo | @studiolugo
creative director: Doruk Kubilay | @dorukkub
installation styling-accessory design: Ece Gülpek Sümer
photographers: Stefania Zanetti | @steynesthesia – Matteo Bellomo | @matteo.bellomo
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
