Page 44 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

42  INTRODUCING IT AL Y

Italian Design

Italy has had phenomenal success evolving stylish, desirable
forms for everyday objects. Its 20th-century achievements
can be credited to a handful of forward-thinking industrial
giants, such as Olivetti, willing to entrust important product
decisions to a group of inspired designers, like Ettore Sottsass.
The design genius was to rethink the function of consumer The streamlined aesthetic of
objects, apply new technology, and then make Italian design extends even to
pasta; this Marille version was
the result look seductive. created by car designer Giorgio
Giugiaro for Voiello in 1983.

Sleek, sculptural Alessi cutlery The Alessi kettle (1985), One of the best-known
(1988), designed by Ettore designed by Michael Graves, coffeemakers is Bialetti’s Moka
Sottsass, combines maximum achieved such popularity in its Express. Although designed in
utility with elegance and first year of production that over 1930, it is still enormously
aesthetic integrity. 100,000 were sold. popular today.

Christophe Pilet’s chair,
designed for Giulio Cappellini’s The folding Cumano table, The Patty Difusa chair, with unusual
collection of contemporary designed by Achille Castiglione wooden arms that curve into legs,
furniture, is a wonderful example for Zanotta in 1979, is still revered was designed by William Sawaya for
of the 1990s aesthetic, and is still as a “designer object”. Sawaya & Moroni in Milan.
available for purchase.

Pininfarina’s streamlined form for the Ferrari Testarossa
(1986) pushes car design almost into the realms of sculpture.

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