Michael Graves designed the new dragon-shaped whistle to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the popular 9093 kettle. The latest edition is known as Tea Rex. It’s the last design from Graves before he passed away earlier this year making it that much more special for Alessi.
From Alberto Alessi:
The existing kettle itself is a big success, but the whistle alone is the most stolen Alessi product in the shops everywhere in the world. You find so many kettles without it so we sell a lot of replacements. So, joking around about this story, my marketing manager had the idea to ask him to design a new whistle for the 30th anniversary. At the end of November/beginning of December of 2014, Michael sent us the proposal, mockup, and drawings of the new Tea Rex whistle.
I’ve had a very special relationship with this kettle and with Michael. He was the most important Alessi design hero in the late 80s/beginning 90s. He understood the normal customer and that they were looking for beautiful objects, also. He was in tune with them.
You can also buy a set of two limited edition whistles in either green & red or a brass metallic finish.
The Pulcina espresso maker marks the first project with longtime friend and designer Michele De Lucchi, who approached Alberto about two years ago with the idea. Pulcina is the result of a years-old collaboration with Italian coffee producer illycaffè. The finished product solved the so-called “Stromboli-volcano effect” that is common to all espresso makers on the market, making the espresso taste better.