Tied to Place:
A Bag for Mercado Design Days, Rooted in Karaköy

Born from the spirit of Mercado Design Days — a gathering where disciplines converge and stories unfold — this bag is more than a design object. It is a reflection of a shared moment, where graphic design, architecture, digital arts, and product design meet under one roof to celebrate creative cross-pollination.

Crafted in collaboration with Reflect Studio and huner, the bag stands as a tactile symbol of this vibrant exchange. In its material, form, and intention, it echoes the very purpose of Mercado Design Days: to inspire, connect, and reimagine how design can tell stories rooted in place, craft, and collaboration.

Crafted from upcycled sailcloth, the bag pays homage to Karaköy's maritime heritage. The rope detail is more than a flourish — it’s a deliberate reference to the mooring lines and dockside textures that define the neighborhood. In design, every gesture matters. Here, material, memory, and meaning are tightly woven.

Mercado Design Days, held in the heart of Karaköy, became the perfect platform to launch this piece — a convergence of designers, thinkers, and makers. Among the installations and conversations, this bag stood out: not shouting, but grounding. A tactile expression of Mercado’s belief in place-driven design.

The story came full circle with a photoshoot staged inside Karaköy’s fish and hardware market — where salt, steel, and rope have long coexisted. In this setting, the bag returns to its roots, not just as a product, but as a curated expression of Mercado’s ethos: a limited-edition piece where past and present converge, where craftsmanship meets narrative, and where design becomes experience.