Studio TOTEM - reparation of "Lupina" chairs and revival of the legendary brand

In the mid-20th century, Niko Kralj (1920 - 2013), a Slovenian designer and the father of industrial design in the former Yugoslavia, designed one of the most popular chairs in this region, the "Lupina" chair. Just a few years later, "Lupina" chairs became an indispensable part of the furniture in almost all public and business facilities in the former country, from conference rooms and offices to schools, cultural centers, theaters, cinemas, and waiting rooms in public institutions, as well as the gardens of numerous restaurants and homes throughout Yugoslavia. With their practicality and ergonomic design, simple yet original, in line with the times they were created, Nika Kralj's chairs have become a recognizable brand worldwide and have earned a place in one of the largest and most influential museums today - the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA).

Initially produced in the Slovenian furniture factory "Stol Kamnik," "Lupina" chairs are still manufactured today in the REX Kralj factory in Ljubljana, the only factory in the world licensed to produce the original "Lupina" chairs. These chairs, although produced in a slightly more modern form compared to the first series released in the mid-20th century, have been equally successful in conquering international markets for years.

However, to ensure that the comfort of "Lupina," their original design, vintage or retro appearance, and overall significance in a certain era are not forgotten or to give them a new shine, Dragana and Branimir, the founders of TOTEM Studio from Belgrade, a couple who have been finding completely original design solutions in furniture restoration for years, have made an effort, and their specific expertise lies in restoring "Lupina" chairs.

"We started with the restoration of 'Lupina' chairs in 2013, without great expectations or ambitions to be involved in furniture repairs at all," begins Dragana. "I graduated in Interior and Furniture Design from the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade, and Bane in Art and New Technologies at Brera in Milan," (Brera Design District, note by the author). We both love furniture, and at one point, we had two original 'Lupina' chairs stored away, so we decided to redesign them and showcase them online to see if there would be any reaction, primarily among our colleagues and acquaintances," she continues.

They received plenty of likes and comments on social media, which led them to the next step.

"We exhibited that mini series of four restored chairs in several concept stores in Belgrade and Novi Sad, mostly owned by our friends," Branimir continues, "we wanted to see if anyone who entered these stores would be interested in such a product, although we hadn't even thought about selling them at the time. Although we did set some arbitrary prices, just in case," he laughs as he reminisces.

Until that moment, Branimir was mostly involved in practical design work. He had his studio where he mainly focused on graphic design, web design, and plotter printing.

"Then our friends started informing us: one chair sold, the other sold... Within less than a month, all four were sold! That's when we thought this thing might have potential, but we still didn't seriously consider getting into furniture repairs because we had our everyday jobs," he says.

For starters, they opened a Facebook and Instagram page for Studio TOTEM.

"We made our first, still unofficial, deal through social media," Dragana recalls. "It was for KGB Cafe in Vlajkovićeva Street (Citizens' Club of Belgrade, note by the author). We had two 'Lupina' chairs that needed to be repaired. The chairs were originally upholstered in synthetic leather and visibly damaged. Our intention was primarily redesign, not modification of the chairs, so they had to remain in their original form," explains Dragana. "We managed that job with limited resources. We didn't have any tools. First, we printed on canvas fabric with motifs from Russian avant-garde, then we stripped and reupholstered the chair, bought sandpaper and paint, fixed the metal legs... It wasn't anything overly innovative, but the chairs truly gained a whole new shine and unique charm," she elaborates.

After more than a month, the excitement about their new business started to fade a bit, but then various designers, interior decorators, and architects gradually began reaching out with concrete offers and serious proposals. That's how they landed their first major project - furnishing the well-known Belgrade pub Berliner with 'Lupina' chairs in Savamala.

"The first reaction when Berliner contacted us was like wooow, amazing, and then after a few moments, we looked at each other and realized - well, we don't have that many chairs. And then the general rush began, searching through basements, waste dumps, failed companies, and warehouses, buying carpentry and upholstery tools and materials... At that time, we were buying everything at retail prices, but it wasn't the primary concern. We were glad that the story started, that people liked what we were doing. In the end, we managed to find and repair over twenty 'Lupina' chairs, and the job was successfully completed to everyone's satisfaction," Branimir summarizes.

Berliner was a real stepping stone for TOTEM Studio, which soon grew into a company. Shortly after, through an architectural firm, they established contact with the prestigious furniture manufacturer GIR from Kraljevo, and the project with 'Lupina' chairs began to take on a more serious scale.

"So, a factory that produces furniture, including chairs, wants us to furnish their business premises with our chairs. That was a huge boost for us and recognition that we create truly beautiful things from these chairs," proudly emphasizes Dragana.

Engagements started to pile up, Dragana and Branimir rented a workshop, and with their 20 fingers and some tools, they have made over five hundred unique 'Lupina' chairs so far. From people who initially had just one beautiful design idea, they have become experts in veneering, leather bonding, bent plywood, plasticization, and complete restoration. Among numerous clients, in addition to Berliner mentioned earlier, they particularly highlight the restaurant ROOF 68 in Split, Belgrade's Goethe Institute, Airport Garden, GIR Concept Store, Blatobran Gallery, the optical shop LA GATTA, and the company REAL HOME.

"Recently, we were even contacted by REX Kralj factory, inquiring about the size of our production facility, the number of employees, the type of machines we use, and the production technology... We laughed... They couldn't believe it when they realized that only the two of us are behind everything and that there is actually no mass production or expensive machinery involved," Branimir says with satisfaction, "but we were certainly flattered by this interest, it was another significant recognition of our efforts."

TOTEM Studio does not have a license to produce the original 'Lupina' chairs, but it seems that it is not their main ambition.

"After redesigning 'Lupina,' we have become widely recognizable, but at the same time, we are also working on creating our authentic design solutions and products, aiming to be equally successful. That is currently the challenge that drives us the most. Our products are not sold in furniture showrooms because we don't have mass production, but exclusively in concept stores. Unfortunately, in Belgrade, there are not many such designer shops, unlike Berlin, Paris, or Stockholm, where they are practically on every corner. We have only a few of them, and it is generally a significant challenge for designers to market their products," concludes Dragana.

Despite their desire to create their own brand, repairing 'Lupina' chairs will always remain the primary passion for Dragana and Branimir, at least as long as conditions allow, because over time it becomes increasingly difficult to find original pieces of these legendary chairs. Many of them are "trapped" in dark warehouses of bankrupt public enterprises, waiting to be discarded and see the light of day when they will undoubtedly regain their new and original shine at TOTEM Studio.

Repaired 'Lupina' chairs of unique design, as well as other products from the TOTEM workshop, are sold at Shamliza Showroom & Design Studio in Belgrade.