Objects

Should wearers of sunglasses after dark immediately be put out of their misery? Or should it be deemed a lesser offence those times when you´re doing a fair impression of ol’ Mr Redeye? This information is for your eyes only. It’s a stylistic hot potato!! (catch) No, I’m not mad, simply talking about shades…..should they be worn at night? Is this the ultimate fashion crime ? What style of frame is suitable for the average modernist clubber? (if there is such a thing as an “average” mod).

Well it of course would be fair to say that it is entirely up to the individual. I know my fellow fashion scribe Richard H believes that it is indeed a heinious crime to sport shades after dark, and I would have to agree, unless you are either a celeb (which means you can commit all sorts of bizarre and wonderful fashion blunders and escape unscathed) or you just don’t give two hoots what anyone else thinks. However, let us admit that we have all wanted to don a smooth pair of sunglasses for an evening (let alone during a summer’s day) in order to achieve that sophisticated “rock star” kudos just for one night. Or could this just be me? Yes, I admit, I’ve done it! So, if you insist on covering your eyes on a soul drenched evening, at least do it with your “mince pies” encased in a decent set of shades.

Modernists have always been fond of eyewear, mainly because it was the fashion staple of all their early blues/r’n'b heroes, such as Sonny Boy Williamson and Champion Jack Dupree . On the soul scene it was also a predominant look, the obvious pioneer being Little Stevie Wonder (although he had other “issues” related to his eyewear…). It is from this early era that the Ray Ban Wayfarer became the first choice of sun deflecting lens for well groomed kids in and around London, and is still widely worn by those favouring the early look. When purchasing go for the original style, black all over (avoid mottled sunglasses, they are for Jaguar driving bank managers with pot bellies,) and make sure they are quite wide. They should almost look a little too big, as they stick out slightly at the corner of each lens. If in doubt, just ask for the classic “Jack Nicholson” shape. Of course, nowadays Ray Ban follow the “logo is everything” trend, and theirs will probably be emblazoned on the arm. Nevertheless, the look is timeless and instant modernist cred will be all yours!

And of course, onto the infamous “Liam” shades…. the Lennon style tinted thin silver framed style of sunglasses that dominated the scene throughout the mid to late sixties. These were sported by both savvy modernists and then simultaneously by “smelly” hippies, probably due to the fact that they were both reminicent of the Victorian Dandy era (think the Moody Blues or Procol Harum) and so fitted with all that poetry/bohemian stuff and that they just look plain stylish. The varying list of fans is a mish mash of sixties luminaries. Marriott oft wore the very thin rectangular style, in blue tint as did the lead singer of the Byrds in the US, Lennon of course either the octagon frames or the complete circle, in differing shades. Take a walk down Oxford Street and a pair can be yours for about a fiver, but as honest quality is everything, pop along to Kirk Originals in Covent Garden, off Neal Street and get a pair made for you by specialists. Pricey, but not that bad: I had a nice pair of Marriott style shades made there for seventy quid. (Their “ready-to-wear” range is actually more expensive). These are also a good choice as they compliment both casual and evening wear, and CAN be worn at night on the odd occasion, as they are tints as opposed to out and out sunglasses. If you’ve the right shaped face, bascially thin and long with a sizable hooter, they look quite good perched at the end of the nose. Very rebellious. Best if you decide that though.

Another style of sunglasses that became quite popular during the late sixties are the Aviators . Again, produced by Ray Ban, the style became somewhat over worked and oversized lens wise by the mid seventies; but by then everything was oversized and overworked, such as collars: but thats another road down which I’m not about to travel. The sixties aviators were sported not just by our mates over the pond but by bands such as the Smoke , and Clem Curtis of the Foundations. Go for the smaller style with more compact lens, in either blue or bronze tint. High fashion labels such as Gucci andPrada have been knocking their own versions out for a while, but the original makers are always the best, so stick with the Bausch & Lombs . These are best teamed with leather jackets or psychedelic print shirts (ensuring that the collar is authentic late sixties slightly wide and sharp…..careful or you’ll end up looking like a heavy from Hawaii Five-O).

Lastly, another slightly rarer style of sunglasses are the scooter frames, worn funnily enough, not just by scooter boys but by Soho stylists for a brief period too. The big, squared off Gucci and Prada (again) frames that seem to be superglued to every tanktop wearing spikey haired trendy this side of Timbucktoo, are a complete ripoff of the look first worn by modernists in sixties London. Unfortunatley as I have discussed with my editor Jules, these labels seem unable to produce accessories devoid of ridiculous branding. My search for these style of frames continues. If you are unsure of the look, it was worn most famously by Pete Townshend circa ’65-’66, and worn with the racing look predominantly, although he also wore it with a nice checked three button blazer, but that’s slightly risky if you ask me. Large frames, gold rimmed and tinted in greens, light blues and amber, they were soon taken on by the moddy boys and flashed on Brighton pier accordingly. Interestingly, they made a serious resurgence during the slightly questionable “revival” of the late seventies. If anyone knows where to purchase a clean pair please mail me!!

There are plenty of variations on these styles, and others altogether, and yet again, rely on your own stylistic preferences when it comes to colour, shape and clothing accompaniments. As for wearing them at night at your nearest soul den… well I’ll leave that up to you.

© Joel Maslin 2001 – 2012 Uppers [Published 13 February 2001]

Absolute Beginnerism – Wristwatches

Is the wristwatch just something that upsets the line of your cuff? Or one of those indispensable details that are necessary for a perfect ensemble?

A wristwatch is one of those small details that can be a nuisance but also a great pleasure. One might argue that the wristwatch is the only acceptable piece of jewelry and embellishment a man can wear without raising any eyebrows. Of course if you go terribly wrong in choosing a suitable watch eyebrows might end up being raised anyways. Que a long sermon on the evils of heavily ornamented goldwatches. You´ve heard all the arguments before. When I´m at it here comes another overused cliché: Less, in this case at least, is More. It is very comforting to feel the weight of a nice quality watch. But if you find yourself developing arm muscles previously unknown to you and you start causing traffic disturbances because of your big shiny timepiece then maybe, just maybe you should reconsider your investment. Upon considering what sort of watch to purchase, an acquaintance of mine when shown a watch with all the wrong qualities, once said: “yes, but what´s all the salad about?“ The world will always be full of people who would fancy not removing the pricetags on their clothes, accesories etc. Hence there will always be a market for timepieces that do their best to have your eye out. Let´s not run with this thought as it is such an ugly one.

The wristwatch also carries quite a lot of symbolism: the modern technocrat should have a proper chronograph that tells the right time more often than twice a day (it should in fact tell the right time at all times). Imagine James Bond without his trusty Walther PPK. Imagine James Bond without a good wristwatch (especially the magnetic Rolex because we all know what that one can do…)
Disconcerting image isn´t it? The beauty of the mechanical wristwatch resides in the compression of advanced functions in a small aesthetically pleasing form. Consider the beauty and engineering involved in a mechanical device that not only accurately tells what time of day it is, but can also measure an interval of time down to a fraction of a second. All those little spokes and wheels turning just to ensure that you keep up the right adrenaline high when late for work.

Other qualities that one usually take for granted are pressure, shock andwater-resistance. A watch being waterproof has it´s obvious reasons, but this is actually quite a good measure of the quality of the watch as most less expensive timepieces claim water resistance but quite often are not. This is a feature you might not want to test… Pressure resistance is a de rigeuer feature not only with watches specifically made for diving. The specifications usually don´t tell the whole truth. Waterproof and pressure resistance to the depth of X most often means that the case has been tested to the specified level of pressure without application of any separate external trauma. In other words: when at the maximum level of pressure (or even before) tap the glass and the watch is likely to implode. Of course very few sane individuals test the specifications of their watches but this might be good to keep in mind if you are somewhat excited by the thought of, for instance, having a whisky on the floor of the ocean.

A Glossary (of Sorts)

There is quite a lot of terminology surrounding watches. You might have heard the term chronograph. This is a watch with two independent time systems: two separate mechanisms (or movements as the professionals call it) for telling time and interval of time. Chronometer is a name that can only be used if a watch has been tested and approved of by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (or “Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres“) situated in Geneva, Le Locle and Biel. The dial or, more commonly, the face of the watch is where the digits are and on some models you can choose what color the dial will be in but more often a certain colour (or two) are specific for the model (much like Vespas and Lambrettas original colour shemes). On some more expensive watches the digits and details of the dial/face are handpainted. The horns are the part of the “endpiece“ of the watch connecting the case to the bracelet. The horns are fastened with metal rods/pins or as they are also called: “lugs“.

Chronographs come with several alternatives for glass depending on brand and model. Sapphire glass is probably the more common these days and is made of glass “bombarded“ with sapphire powder to obtain a less glossy finish than normal glass. Mineral glass is less common and plexiglass was most widely used during the 60.s and 70.s and is one of the nice details implemented in several ranges of “retro-modern“ watches. Sappire glass is supposed to be scratch resistant but a good point is that if you do scratch it you can actually have it polished to once again attain a satisfying finish.

The crown is the knob (also known as “the knob“) located on the side of the case with which you can adjust the time and calendar. On a quality watch this detail is often engraved with logo, as will often the clasp be. A so-called mechanical movement derives its energy from a spring whereas a quartz movement gets its kinetic energy from a piece of quartz vibrating with a specific frequency when in contact with an electric field. Quite recently a new range of watches was marketed (by Seiko if I remember accurately) that works through ambient kinetic energy- which means that the watches movement is powered by your own body movements.

The Heidi Factor

The Swiss tradition of making timepieces started with the first garden gnome who produced one of those silly clocks with things jumping out of it and startling you. Nowadays though Swiss Made is a mark of premium quality. There are several criteria that must be met for a manufacturer to be able to call a wristwatch Swiss Made. Firstly the movement (the components making up the “motor“ of the watch) must be assembled and tested in Switzerland. 50% of the value of the movements parts must be of Swiss origin. Secondly the watch must be assembled and final control made in Switzerland.

Time To Buy?

If we’ve firmly grasped the thesis of less is more we start looking at the aesthetic concerns when buying watches. Should the watch be stainless steel, titanium, gold etc? Obviously stainless steel has the most simple look. Brushed or polished to a high sheen almost all watch makers use stainless steel as a standard. If you are buying a gold watch there are several levels of quality depending on what brand and range you are buying. Ask the retailer. Gold has quite a steady market value but always remember that when incorporated in a watch for ornamental reasons it somewhat loses its value. Usually the value of a watch depends on the equation: production run (and vintage), brand,design and quality of the technical parts. Titanium can be a good alternative to matte/brushed stainless steel. The downside to titanium is that it feels so brittle and light.

Now we can move to what brand to choose. If you have no specific wish as to what brand you want just go into a shop and look for the nicest looking watch for the best price. You might like to enquire about the quality of the movement but not much else is needed. If you want something more you´ll have to do some research (that is if you´re not an expert already). Quite a few brands have a very specific profile and are associated with certain lifestyles. The Breitling is the classic pilot brand, Jaeger leCoultre’s Reverso range were designed with polo in mind and Rolex is the oyster divers watch etc. Most prestigious watchmakers are associated with high profile activities and sports. Foolish one might think but so it has been and so it shall be. Meeting a watch afficionado is a bit like being a freemason. Quite a few people can distinguish a quality watch from a cheaper one but if you´re interested in the subject you can even discern what sort of lifestyle the wearer would want to be associated with. Tag Heuer? Well judging by that, the mac and the rollneck the man obviously fancies himself to be of the Frank Bullit persuasion… Empty consumer culture at it´s best.

Now for the bracelet. Leather or metal is the question. An expensive watch will come with crocodile, calf or even ostrich skin. A practical feature on the metal bracelet style is if it features a safety extension bracelet. This enables you to fit the bracelet over a diving suit. There are several variations on bracelets depending on what you are going to use it for. Then comes the question of how to choose the cufflinks when wearing the watch. Preferably you will buy cufflinks of the same material as the watch which in some cases can be quite tricky. It might be a good idea to use the links which have been removed when fitting the watch. A good jewelers should with all certainty be able work these into a pair of perfectly matching cufflinks.

When buying a wristwatch you can actually justify the purchase by claiming that it is an investment. Several ranges with limited production runs are quite sought after nowadays and with the know-how and capital you might in fact (if it so amuses you) make a small profit after a while. Another thing to consider is the factor of designer watch vs. “professional“ watch. Be advised: almost all designer watches have their important parts made by a manufacturer who produces it´s own brand of watches. And usually you´ll pay the same price for a designer watch because of the “name“ as you might pay for a “non“-designer watch (obviously these are also designed but maybe not by for instance Tom Ford) of superior quality. Once again the conclusion is somewhat PC: stick with the classics, in this case they are considered classics for of a good reason.

© Jules Olivier 2001 – 2012 Uppers [Published 24 September 2001]

Being a lover of classic scooters for such a long period of my life, I had always aspired to one day own what I perceived to be the best scooter of all. The Vespa GS160. Having worked my way along the Vespa chain for a good few years to end up with a fantastic professionally restored burgundy VBB with 10 inch wheel conversion (thanks to a certain reputable North London dealership), I decided that, with my 30’s fast approaching, it was perhaps time to bite the bullet and trade up to that dream scooter. As luck would have it, I managed to tick the box in a short period of time. However, as it was effectively found propped up in a mate’s garage, it raised a question in my mind that I know is pondered by so many fellow/potential scooter riders on the scene: what sort of condition should/would you opt for when owning a classic scooter?

Let’s look at the options here. The first one, and to be fair the most popular through the years, is to fully restore the scooter to it’s ‘original glory’. This means (hopefully) finding someone, if not yourself, skilled enough to strip and rebuild an engine, as well as someone to paint the bike. Now, here’s where us peacocks will tend to deviate from the standard and opt for ‘off spec’ colours which can look fantastic and will certainly gain the attention it deserves as it parades, rider in charge, along the promenade. This is great and is wonderful to see people’s imaginations dictate the final aesthetic. Queue the Brighton Rideout trophy judges….

The next option, and perhaps not sitting so well with a few I’m sure, is the ‘original condition’ scooter. This is where my aforementioned comes into the picture. Finding something that is either a ‘barn find’ or ‘daily rider never touched’ is becoming more and more of a rarity these days. Especially when you bring into the equation the provenance (original log book and number plate). Yes, I will admit the above paragraph fits neatly into reason but there are also people realising that these hairdryers we adore are in fact worth more with the scratches, paint flaking and hand painted names/numbers on the panels from the 60’s. A condition that, once restored, will never be present on the scooter again.

I found that the ‘patina’ on my scooter immediately set it apart from other GS’s and, while not perhaps the most eye-catching in a parade, did certainly gain a few nods or comments of recognition along the way. Most citing a certain book published by Richard Barnes…

Still, using the machine on a daily basis with an original engine (10000 miles in total) meant not being too precious about the overall condition as, after all, they were designed to be ridden!

Another option that is again increasing in popularity is the ‘Rusteration’. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it does what it says on the tin. Find a scooter, no matter the condition (usually fairly well preserved original condition scooters). Then degenerately restore it, if that makes sense. Add your own patina to it. Rub the paint off and leave to oxidise until some rust appears. Hand paint the panels with a brush really badly… effectively knacker the scooter. Usually most decide to then add a racing type engine which in my mind only adds to the comedy value when you decide to ‘race for pink slips’ with that chap on one at the lights…

As you can see, I am slightly biased with my comments here. Having owned scooters from the first two categories, I can say that I have immensely enjoyed them regardless of the condition.  However, with prices quite high against the current climate, it is perhaps a question more people will ponder when it comes to the winter scooter purchase. Concours restoration is time and wonga in a big way but ultimately your personalised scooter to cherish for many years. Ride the original find and you can, if you’re not careful, end up spending a lot of money just keeping it on the road but the benefit of having an unmolested machine straight out of a time warp can have its advantages.  Rusteration: Spending money to make it look like an original condition scooter? Hmmm..

 

 

Does your attention to detail extend beyond your wardrobe, bookshelf and record collection? Then there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with Alessi. If not, read on and perhaps you´ll be persuaded to change your evil ways.

Being of a partially Mediterranean descent Alessi household goods have always been present in my life. Years of therapy have led me to believe that the Alessi octagonal coffee service could, sadly though indirectly, be named the chief instigator of one of my very bad habits: the Rewinding of Films whenever I see something clever and beautiful of design in them. And should you be partial to films from the 40.s to the 60.s there is quite a lot of rewinding to subject your poor friends and relations to. Not to mention the video of course, though this is really no excuse as that is the exact reason why some kind soul invented the Digitally Versatile Disc-system. You see now how everything falls into place don’t you?

History
The Alessi family hails from the Strona valley in Italy. During the 1700s, Italians from this region migrated as far as Germany to learn the pewter trade. Sometime during the turn of the century focus shifted from manufacturing household goods in pewter to brass, nickel, silver and soon stainless steel. The Strona valley collected several of these manufacturers with their workshops and factories around the Lake Orta. The region became the bustling centre of these activities and the evolution of the trade is, apparently, quite visible as most of the factories and workshops in the area remain intact.

The long history of Alessi is not only visible in the region that is the birthplace of the company, but also apparent in the long collaborations with many of their designers. Alessi design as we know it spans 8 decades and has incorporated design luminaries such as: Marco Zanuso (who anyone interested in Italian design will be familiar with), Michael Graves, Ettore Sottsass, Aldo Rossi… the list could be made endless and one could not safely mention a few without embarrassingly omitting others (like all the in-house designers connected to the Alessi family).

One of the benchmark events in Alessi history was the war. With the demand for household goods in decline, the company shifted its down-to-earth traditional trade for the mass production of metal uniform details and aeronautical parts. In effect this change introduced a new material to the designers of Alessi: stainless steel. Alessi, led by the design vision ofCarlos Alessi (who was the first “real“ designer of the company and who would replace his father Giovanni Alessi as the head of the company in the fifties) realised the potential of this material and accurately predicted that it would soon replace silver, brass and chromed metals. With the investments made in the infrastructure for mass production the future had arrived in the shape of stainless steel products which where easier to mass produce and would soon bring Alessi design to a wider market.

With Carlo Alessi at the helm of the company and Ettore Alessi (Giovannis younger brother) supervising the technical aspects of production Alessi now began to open up to external designers. The concept of design was relatively new to the household goods market and Alessi was really the perfect example designing several projects where actual design was only tempered by the confines of technical considerations. This open minded attitude was also apparent in the company’s choice of designers as quite a few of these had gained their expertise in other fields of design and construction. Good examples are Ettore Sottsass and Aldo Rossi who are (or sadly, were in Aldo Rossis case) primarily architects. The company claims that working with designers with a background in architecture is easier than working with industrial designers, as the architects are more willing to delegate the technical execution to engineers and technical specialists, a sentiment that seems quite logical. This relaxed approach is beautifully apparent when you see one of the finished products.

Designers and Designs
Alessis output remains stupendously varied: some designs functional and with that air of familiarity that good design often has and some whimsical when functionalism has had to take second place to aesthetics. Coffee and tea-sets, several ranges of cutlery, ornamental ceramics, plastic containers, ashtrays and wine coolers… Alessi has tried its hands at so many areas of design and most often with success. A most obvious sign of success is of course that quite a few Alessi designs have been plagiarised.
A good starting point for someone unfamiliar with Alessi design is their coffee makers: functionality and design in a product that makes the mundane task of making espresso a pleasure to the eye as well as the palate.

My own personal favourite is Aldo Rossi’s “La Conica“, a tall espresso maker with a brass base: this product makes Rossi’s background in architecture obvious (On a more silly note: see the British film “Shopping“ where a Rossi-designed coffee maker is put to hilarious use over an open fire to make tea providing the only enjoyable moment in an otherwise dreary production) and was an evolution of his involvement in the Tea & Coffee Piazza (overseen by Alessandro Mendini), an Alessi project inviting architects to design their own takes on the tea and coffee set.

A few of Rossi’s great designs for Alessi are: the democratic aluminium “La Cupola coffee maker”, the “Il Conico” kettle and all the other products surrounding coffee drinking. In fact Rossi’s extensive research in the field has resulted in the “La Conica e alter caffettiere” book (1984).

And should you be one of those cretins who, much like I do, takes a cigarette with espresso, then why not rest your nasty cigarette butt on an Achilles Castiglione designed ashtray? The late Mr Castiglione may be known to you for various products such as for instance the “Rochchetto table” or the “Arco lamp”. No? Well then you should lend his Alessi smoking utensil an eye: great design and the dastardly clever spring construction allows for your guilty pleasure to never fall off the side and thus setting fire to someone important. And who knows, your display of taste might make the mother-in-law (or someone else you need to woe to your side) more tolerant to your nasty habit (mind you just your nicotine habit, not your habit of being mouthy and arrogant). Should this clever ruse for achieving “immediate son-in-law appreciation” or just plain appreciation fail, hastily replace the ashtray with some stainless steel wire baskets. Fill them with some biscotti or just something edible like fruit or bread and sit back and enjoy. In the case of this not working I am afraid setting fire to the person you’re trying to impress might be the only stratagem left to you as he/she won’t like the “Firenze”- clock (design by Mr Castiglione and older brother Pier) on the wall either. Nor your playful Stefano Pirovano designed watch.

So let’s not ponder the unpleasant things but rather just focus on what could best constitute your personal Alessi experience. A product you will probably have seen is the “Juicy salif” juicer by Philippe Starck (are you getting a certain War of the Worlds vibe from this one or have I had a drink too many?) To be honest I’ve only ever seen this product used as an ornament and never actually used in a kitchen. The container set series somewhat reminiscent of traditional Japanese containers are much more to my tastes and I am still fascinated by the cake server perhaps because of the fact that I am still not certain if it should be used for culinary delights, manly masonry or homicidal heroics… If you are a Philippe Starck fan already there are quite a few objects that might suit your fancy. Maybe even his prototype design for an Apriliascooter.

Whereas some of the Alessi output is clever but still restrained there are several ranges and products that are more, shall we say playful? You might have seen the anthropomorphic output largely popularised during the 80′s?

Tastes will vary but many of these objects still show the wide spectra of Alessi design. Philippe Starcks’ various works in plastic range from astonishing to unsettling. The “Dr Kiss” toothbrush, Mister MeuMeu cheese grater, “Les Ministres tray” and “Bertaa” kettle are all good examples of design that everyone might not like but will certainly have an opinion on.

Even if you are a fanatical follower of Krups or Gaggia it might be worth your while to have a look at Richard Sapper’s expert output for Alessi. His designs for automatic coffee makers boast functionality stemming from one of industrial design’s greats paired with the playful and sleek aesthetics fitting Alessi. The “9091” tea kettle stands in sharp contrast to the above mentioned techno-artifact with its simple and beautiful design and the costly detail of the whistle. It also makes for a great gift as most people boil water at some point in their lives.

Alessandro Mendini, another architect and former editor of architectural and design publications “Casabella, Modo and Domus” has been working with Alessi for a long time. The collaborative effort between Philips and Alessi to make kitchen appliances was based on his designs and would probably suit even the hardiest space cadet. The Anna G range of products is one of Alessi’s bestsellers and Mendini has also designed several extensions to the Alessi plant situated in Crusinallo. Mendini not only supplies design vision but also a lot of marketing clout as he is internationally employed as a consultant to give advice on brand and design identity strategies.

To get a different twist on Alessi products take a look at Michael Gravesdesigns. Not hugely different but certainly leaning more towards an American design flavour rather than the continental Graves first started working for Alessi in conjuncture with the “Tea & Coffee Piazza” and has worked on several projects since then. Graves items seem destined to land in the bosom of the nuclear family. Playful but down-to-earth design for objects you are going to use every day. The vibe from the fifties might just be in my head but this paired with excellent details and a no-nonsense approach to design strikes a very pleasing balance. The round stainless steel of “the Kettle with bird” paired with the polyamide handle makes it strict but still humane. The range developed from this item all feature the same riveting and style of handles. The breadbox and cheese board further promotes the style while still remaining playful and detailed.
Another interesting area, assuming you like a drink now and then, is the selection of products for the bar. The shaker and ice bucket designed during the late 50′s by (Luigi) Massoni and (Carlo) Mazzeri are prime examples of Alessi design at its best and are once again much used favourites of mine.

The shaker, with its neatness of design and discrete finish, is perfect for anything up to four cocktails (with a bit of effort and some goodwill) and lends itself perfectly for late night vulgar acrobatics courtesy of and inspired by Tom Cruise and that older chap with the wrinkles and accent. It has all the features one could expect of a shaker and is very easy to use. The ice bucket complements the shaker perfectly and it, if you are not an all-glass ice bucket person, makes a perfect centre piece on a stainless steel Alessi tray of your choice.
Complement these two items with the Boston range “Shaker” and Wine cooler designed by luminary Ettore Sottsass (with a bit of help from Alberto Gozzi, the Alessi “gastronomic” advisor) and you will be almost completely covered in matters of drinking.

And even though these items originate from different minds and have their obvious differences in design they go surprisingly well together.

The great Mr Sottsass, who quite probably has the most designs in the Alessi catalogue, has also designed an item anyone who has frequented some Italian restaurants, or any other restaurant for that matter, will at least be vaguely familiar with: the classic Alessi condiment set. Personally I find the larger set to be scaled for restaurants and such. It collects facilities for salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This product is quite handy and something very much approaching an industrial standard. The smaller condiment set is slightly more discrete (but lacks the solution for the fluids) and would suit most any table and in addition the sugar bowl is an excellent design should you for some reason take sugar in your espresso.

There are also several products aimed towards the catering market. Functionalism and modular stainless steel designs are understandably key in these product ranges. But with a bit of effort and a lavishly expansive kitchen some of these might actually fit into a regular persons daily habits. In fact the pared down and trim designs necessary for this pragmatic market makes many of these products a restful and effective addition to the even the amateur kitchen.

Il Bagno
Should you not be satisfied with transforming just the kitchen and dining spaces into Alessi cityscapes you can further indulge yourself with the bathroom range: Il Bagno Alessi. Not to be confused with the various accessories for the bathroom (like toothbrushes, cups and floss dispensers) Alessi has produced, Il Bagno Alessi deals with the hardware. Things like bathtubs, faucets and wash basins. Things that really should look good and have pleasing forms as we inevitably use them each and every day.

The scope of the Alessi design vision will on paper at times seem daunting. The various products and designs might even seem erratic to the casual observer. Depending on which design era one might focus on a closer look will yield the most different results. Somewhere in there you will notice some sort of coherency. The fact that Alessi are reproducing a few Bauhaus designs and the various Alessi forums for young designers seems indicative of a larger view on industrial design. Or maybe it’s just respect for great design? Who knows?