Alessi (Italy) kitchen ware, 20th century

Alessi is an Italian design company founded in 1921 in Omegna, a small town in the Piedmont region of Italy, by Giovanni Alessi in Omegna, Italy. The company initially produced tableware items in nickel, chromium and silver-plated brass. In 1932, Carlo Alessi, Giovanni's eldest son, joined the family firm and began designing products. Under his direction, the company began to produce more original and creative designs. In the 1950s, Alessi began to collaborate with external designers, including Achille Castiglioni, Ettore Sottsass, and Richard Sapper. These collaborations led to the creation of some of Alessi's most iconic products, such as the Juicy Salif lemon squeezer by Philippe Starck, the 9090 corkscrew by Aldo Rossi, and the Cornucopia vase by Alessandro Mendini. The company remains family-owned and is now in its third generation of Alessi family leadership, with Alberto Alessi serving as the president.