The Moka coffee maker produced by Alessi is first and foremost a tribute by Alessandro Mendini to his maternal grandfather, Alfonso Bialetti, who in the 1930s was the inventor, designer and first producer of the Moka Express, the famous Italian espresso coffee maker. A classic of 20th century design, with its octagonal shape inspired by futurism and art deco. Made from cast aluminium in a shell, the Moka coffee maker presented here takes up the traditional codes with its curved, rounded lines, while making a number of improvements: the volume of the container has been recalculated, the thickness of the material optimised and the ergonomics of the knob better adapted. The Moka coffee maker has become an indelible part of the public's collective memory, and the ritual will continue to be repeated every morning. A far cry from the new electric coffee makers, you can proudly display this coffee maker on your kitchen worktop.
In 1921, Giovanni Alessi founded the Italian company Alessi. Since 1929, the company has focussed on producing nickel- or silver-plated copper tableware. When Carlo Alessi, Giovanni's son, was appointed design director in 1935, handcrafting methods were replaced by industrial manufacturing. In 1955, the company began collaborating with world-renowned architects and designers such as Richard Sapper, Ettore Sottsass, and later, Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders. Alessi makes design accessible by focussing on useful, humorous and visually appealing home accessories. Most of its products have become design classics that are sold and exhibited around the world.