The brand “ALESSI” expresses the finest in largescale industrial production in the houseware sector; both in terms of the quality of manufacturing and design.

'Founded in northern Italy by Giovanni Alessi Anghini as a manufacturer of metal components, the company began to produce everyday domestic and catering products in the late 1920s. From 1932 it developed an independent design policy under the direction of Carlo Alessi, Giovanni's son. From the 1980s the company has become widely recognized internationally for its technical and stylistic innovations and often slightly idiosyncratic, yet highly fashionable, Postmodern products by leading designers such as Michael Graves, Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass, Matteo Thun, and Philippe Starck. In Italy itself Alessi products generally cater for everyday purposes, whereas in the valuable export markets its more design-conscious products are seen to represent the stylishness and fashionability of Italian design'.

'Alessi has been highly adept at marketing its products through books and publishing ventures, multilingual catalogues, exhibitions, and the establishment of the Alessi Museum. Books have included Alessi: The Design Factory (1994) with essays by a number of people associated with the company and Alessandro Alessi's The Dream Factory: Alessi since 1921 (1998). Amongst the exhibitions promoting the Alessi idea has been L'Atelier Alessi: Alberto Alessi et Alessandro Mendini: dix ans de design 1980-1990'.

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