How Alessi turns bowls into designer gifts

ITALIANS and DESIGN.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Read on if you agree...

Now I'm only part Italian, but even my Bangladeshi friend at the 7-11 downstairs likes Italian design when he sees it!! The Ferrari of sports cars, the Ducati of motorbikes, the Vespa of scooter, the Dolce & Gabbana of fashion - there's simply no argument when discussing classic design style.

Well today please allow me to introduce to you Giovanni Alessi. What this man started in 1921 has become an institution of revolutionary design of everyday objects. More to the point, I'd like you to see what Alessi Design has done to the most humble implement used by man...

The bowl.

Yep, the bowl, the dish, the plate. "Well it's round and holds stuff" I hear you saying... but you didn't say that in Italian did you...? Alessi simply couldn't. Alessi says the bowl is a statement. The mark of an era. Beauty.

Alessi Mediterraneo Fruit Bowl
Corroborating with Emma Silvestris, Alessi Design has successfully turned our humble fruit bowls into household centerpieces! As though effortlessly, the Mediterraneo Fruit Bowl seems to float in space, bringing each strand of over-water imagination to a halt in this marine masterpiece that makes you just want to hold your breath and float next to it.

Physically engineered from cut and molded epoxy resin and metal, this visual contradiction is a pleasure to watch... albeit motionless! The rich mediterranean red adds to the allure, to be sure. However there is also a polished stainless steel finish available - a supreme highlight in any decor.

With practicality being a trademark of the beauty of every Alessi piece, the Mediterraneo Fruit Bowl is also built to both a 21 and 29cm diameter.

Fruit never looked so good.

Alessi Tigrito Cat Bowl
Mirriam Mirri worked on this one with Alessi to help Kitty's confidence in the contemporary feline world. Fluid lines that still shine like young fun highlight the cute personality of the Tigrito. Now if my latin serves me well, the 'Tigr' in Tigrito refers to the tiger in every little kitten, and 'ito' is the nicest way - in Latin - to tell your little tiger they're a touch too small to be Princess of the jungle. Princess of the cat-kitchen however, that's a certainty!

Ahh, who else could turn a bowl into a dining area? And Alessi Design means it's not just about looking fun and frivolous. This cat bowl is completely safe for the dishwasher (it has detachable parts) and loved by every pedigree pussycat that's seen them.

What's more, your feline friend can choose from light blue, yellow and grey.

See what I mean? Who said it's just a bowl?

In Italy, where style is the culture, even fruit bowls are mediterranean and cat bowls are a masterpiece.

Thanks to Alessi Designer Gifts for showing us how.

Here's 50 of Alessi's best designs available in Australia, shipped direct from Sydney, or you can check out www.alessi.com for the full story.

Jason Bogatai is a master at describing the beauty comprising design, as you'll read in his reviews on www.bristolandbrooks.com.au. When recently asked which was he favorite Alessi Design item, he couldn't single it to one, naming Alessi Mediterraneo Fruit Bowl and Alessi Cat Bowl a dead heat!

He's also really really good at gift wrapping.