During Milan Design Week 2025, CHELEBI presented PLAITE at ALCOVA — a collaborative collection that reimagines the art of weaving through contemporary design. Brought to life by Aida Mahmudova, founder of CHELEBI, in partnership with designer Natalia Ortega of Worn Studio, the installation explored weaving not only as a technique but as a language. The result: sculptural home objects crafted from an innovative fusion of fibers, metals, and glass. This creative dialogue between materiality and form offered visitors a striking new interpretation of cultural craftsmanship.
The kitchen of Villa Borsani serves as the ideal setting for PLAITE, embodying the intersection of craftsmanship and contemporary design. Each piece unites blown glass, ceramics, porcelain, wood, and metal, elegantly bound in leather and natural fibers. Crafted by artisans using ancestral techniques, the collection captures the dialogue between structure and fluidity, heritage and reinvention.
Aida Mahmudova strives to bridge traditional Azerbaijani craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, creating objects that transcend time and trends. Her work is deeply rooted in materiality, offering pieces that are both functional and collectible, designed to evoke a sense of history and narrative within contemporary spaces.
PLAITE is exclusively presented at ALCOVA, reinforcing CHELEBI’s commitment to innovation in design, artistry, and heritage.
ABOUT CHELEBI:
CHELEBI reimagines Azerbaijani cultural treasures through a modern lens, blending traditional designs with contemporary elegance.
Named after a mountain village in Karabakh, the brand unites the rich heritage of Azerbaijan with modern artistry.
ABOUT AIDA MAHMUDOVA:
Aida Mahmudova is an artist and a patron of Azerbaijani arts and design. She is the founder of CHELEBI, a brand specializing in collectible design and decor, and YARAT Contemporary Art Space in Baku. Her artistic practice explores themes of memory, place, and belonging through installations, sculpture, and painting.
Mahmudova earned a BA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins in London. Her work has been exhibited internationally at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in Baku, MAXXI Museum in Rome, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, and Gazelli Art House in London. Her pieces are part of private and museum collections worldwide.
ABOUT WORN STUDIO by NATALIA ORTEGA:
Natalia Ortega is an industrial designer based in Spain, focusing on objects, furniture, and lighting. She works primarily with clay, wood, stone, leather, and blown glass. Natalia collaborates with artisans from small towns to create contemporary objects rooted in traditional craftsmanship. Her work is guided by a thoughtful, resource-conscious approach that values time, process, and material.
