When we think of Juicy Salif, the lemon squeezer which Philippe Starck designed for Alessi in 1990, we think of a cultural icon. Between 1990 and 2003, more than half a million of them were sold by the Italian company, despite the fact that they barely function as a lemon squeezers. Perhaps this is why Starck has called Alberto Alessi ‘a merchant de Bonheur,’ a merchant of happiness. A new book by Alessi, published by Rizzoli, comes to reveal the story behind the evolution of the Italian family company of houseware, while its title, “Dream Factory,” could not be better in describing its allure and the production of so many classics of modern design. President of the company, Alberto Alessi is responsible for making the company into one of the most ambitious players in the world of modern design, as he was responsible for collaborating with such famed designers as Achille Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini and Ettore Sottsass in the 70s; Aldo Rossi, Michael Graves, and Philippe Starck in the 80s and 90s; and Zaha Hadid, Toyo Ito, Greg Lynn, and Jean Nouvel in the 2000s. The photo above captures the various members of the Alessi family, each holding a Juicy Salif. Images @Alessi
