TRENZAR by Marlot Baus April 20–26, 2026 · Alcova Milano

TRENZAR

Marlot Baus at Alcova Milano 2026

Braiding is not merely joining — it is the ritual of transforming emptiness into structure, the silence of the material into a tangible voice. Braiding is the geometry of touch, a dance where artisans dictate the rhythm and the material obeys, curving into an architecture of knots that defies fragility.

For Alcova Milano 2026, Marlot Baus presents TRENZAR — a collection of furniture, tableware, and objects united by the ancient act of braiding. Installed in the evocative rooms of Baggio Military Hospital, the pieces occupy a space where peeling plaster walls and patterned tile floors amplify the tension between the raw and the refined.

The collection includes a dining table with hand-carved oak legs, chairs with woven leather seats, ceramic vessels with braided iron handles, blown glass cups, carved wood egg cups, silver cutlery with twisted handles, a ceramic plate with braided edge, and a blown glass lamp on a ceramic base. Every piece bears the mark of the hand that made it.

TRENZAR is the result of a collaboration between Laura García, founder of Marlot Baus, and Natalia Ortega of Worn Studio. Together they directed nine Spanish artisans — each a specialist in wood, iron, ceramic, silver, embroidery, blown glass, or wicker — to interpret braiding through their material of mastery. The result is not a catalogue of techniques but a conversation between hands, materials, and the spaces they inhabit.

TRENZAR exhibition view — Alcova Milano 2026

EVENT

Alcova Milano 2026

LOCATION

Baggio Military Hospital, Casa delle Suore C4

DATES

April 20–26, 2026

PRESS PREVIEW

Saturday April 19

CREATED BY

Laura García (Marlot Baus) + Natalia Ortega (Worn Studio)

ARTISANS

Nine Spanish artisans — wood, iron, ceramic, silver, embroidery, blown glass, wicker

Exhibition Views

Photography from the TRENZAR installation at Baggio Military Hospital, Alcova Milano 2026.

TRENZAR — Full exhibition view at Baggio Military Hospital, Alcova Milano 2026

TRENZAR — Full exhibition view at Baggio Military Hospital, Alcova Milano 2026

The dining table set with artisan pieces and Trenzar chair

The dining table set with artisan pieces and Trenzar chair

Hand-carved oak table leg and chair with woven leather seat

Hand-carved oak table leg and chair with woven leather seat

Trenzar chair — oak frame with woven leather seat and braided rope

Trenzar chair — oak frame with woven leather seat and braided rope

Ceramic vessel with braided iron handles

Ceramic vessel with braided iron handles

Ceramic jugs with braided handles — white speckled and cobalt blue glaze

Ceramic jugs with braided handles — white speckled and cobalt blue glaze

Carved wood egg cups in olive and walnut

Carved wood egg cups in olive and walnut

Silver serving cutlery with braided handles on leather weave

Silver serving cutlery with braided handles on leather weave

Ceramic plate with braided edge on black leather weave

Ceramic plate with braided edge on black leather weave

Blown glass and ceramic lamp

Blown glass and ceramic lamp

Detail — braided iron texture on ceramic surface

Detail — braided iron texture on ceramic surface

Detail — woven leather in natural tan

Detail — woven leather in natural tan

Campaign

TRENZAR campaign photography by Natalia Ortega / Worn Studio.

Braided iron and rope across the body — silver cutlery with twisted handles

Braided iron and rope across the body — silver cutlery with twisted handles

Model with braided iron candelabra

Model with braided iron candelabra

The ceramic vessel — braided iron handles meeting human form

The ceramic vessel — braided iron handles meeting human form

Editorial — braided iron thread woven through hair

Editorial — braided iron thread woven through hair

Ceramic vessel with braided iron handle — profile view

Ceramic vessel with braided iron handle — profile view

Braided iron candelabra — sculptural centerpiece

Braided iron candelabra — sculptural centerpiece

Trenzar chair with braided esparto rope

Trenzar chair with braided esparto rope

Blown glass jug and cups with twisted detail

Blown glass jug and cups with twisted detail

Silver ladle and twisted serving piece

Silver ladle and twisted serving piece

Ceramic tray with braided iron edge

Ceramic tray with braided iron edge

Detail — braided iron knot

Detail — braided iron knot

About Alcova Milano 2026

Alcova is a nomadic exhibition platform founded by Valentina Ciuffi (Space Caviar) and Joseph Grima. Since its inception, Alcova has become one of the most anticipated events during Milan Design Week, taking over disused architectural sites across Milan and transforming them into immersive showcases for independent designers, studios, and brands.

For its 2026 edition, Alcova returns to the Baggio Military Hospital — a sprawling complex of early-twentieth-century buildings in western Milan. The abandoned wards, chapels, and courtyards provide a raw, evocative backdrop that challenges exhibitors to engage with the architecture rather than merely occupy it. Over 100 participants from more than 30 countries present work across furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles, and spatial installation.

Marlot Baus presents TRENZAR in Casa delle Suore, room C4 — one of the most intimate spaces in the complex. The installation features a full collection of furniture and objects united by the act of braiding: a dining table with hand-carved oak legs, chairs with woven leather seats, ceramic vessels with iron-braided handles, blown glass, silver cutlery, and a glass-and-ceramic lamp. Nine Spanish artisans contributed their craft, each interpreting the braiding technique through their material of mastery.

The TRENZAR project was conceived by Laura García, founder of Marlot Baus, in collaboration with Natalia Ortega of Worn Studio. Together they directed the creative vision and coordinated the artisan network across Spain, resulting in a collection that bridges ancestral craft techniques with contemporary design.

Milan Design Week 2026 runs from April 20 to 26, with the press preview on Saturday April 19. Alcova is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00, free admission.

Contact

Press & Communications
Olivia Hausmann
olivia@marlotbaus.com

marlotbaus.com · @marlotbaus