Alberto Alessi

Brian Russell

Exam expectations

Issues associated with designers are regularly tested in the written paper. You should be able to describe the work of Alberto Alessi, who is famous for managing the Italian kitchen utensil company Alessi. The Alessi brand is well known for using famous product designers such as Philippe Starck, Richard Sapper, Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass. Michael Graves etc.

Alberto Alessi• In 1970 the founder’s grandson Alberto Alessi joins the company. • In that very busy decade he lays the foundations for Alessi to become one of the

“Factories of Italian Design”.

Alberto Alessi

• Alberto is driven by a simple idea that the bond between people and objects is not simply shaped by functionality.

• He believes that designers are professionals who create functional objects that are capable of capturing the public’s imagination.

Alberto Alessi

• He has brought together some of the worlds most famous designers to add to the brand and to produce the distinctive style.

• Products often display humour as exemplified by these Anna G corkscrews designed by Alessandro Mendini

Alessandro Mendini

• Mendini produced a wide range of products on the Anna theme and named them appropriately such as Anna Pepper, Anna Cheese, Anna Stop etc.

Philippe Starck

• Another very famous designer who brings a mixture of humour and originality into his designs

• Starck’s work is often very controversial.• The Juicy Salif juicer is regarded by many to be a

classic design although it is far from efficient to use.

Aldo Rossi

• Aldo Rossi is regarded as one of the best Italian architects of the 20th century

• Many of the products he has created for Alessi are based on architectural forms with names such as La Cupola and Il Conica

Michael Graves• Michael Graves is also an architect who has reflected this in

his products for Alessi• His singing bird whistling kettle is regarded as a design classic

Ettore Sottsass

• Sottsass is possibly most famous for instigating the Memphis design movement

• Whilst many of the products he has designed for Alessi are more traditional the Memphis influence can be seen in his Twergi range of products.

Richard Sapper

• German born Sapper lives in Milan• His most famous Alessi design is the melodic

whistling kettle• Precise engineering and style

Stefano Giovannoni

• Giovannoni has been responsible for some of the more humorous Alessi products exemplified by the Lilliput salt and pepper set where the figures have magnets in their feet and can be

• The Cico eggcup is another which blends fun and function

Guido Venturini

• Gino Zucchino sugar castor and the Firebird gas lighter are typical of Venturini’s aim to create creature-like products for Alessi

King Kong

• Guido Venturini and Stefano Giovannoni working as King Kong collaborated together to create the Girotondo range of products

Conclusions• In much the same way that IKEA has influenced the furniture

markets throughout the world Alessi has led the way in kitchen utensil design

• This Factory of Italian Design has been at the centre of the Designer Product market transforming everyday objects into objects of desire

• Alberto Alessi has been responsible for moving the company from a metalworking factory producing fairly ordinary kitchenware to a design style recognised everywhere.

• The Family Follows Fiction theme has been responsible for the playful products which have been so influential