Alessi - Michael Graves - Securities Virgil Abloh - Fluitketel - ''Alaska'' 3909 - Gelimiteerde editie (1893/9999) - Roestvrij staal

This kettle designed by Michael Graves in 1985 was reinterpreted by Virgil Abloh Securities in 2022. The kettle is an unique limited edition item that had the flavors of Virgil Abloh and the iconic style of Michael Graves famous design. This kettle is number 1893 of the 9999 copies made of this kettle worldwide.

This kettle is in a new and unused condition. Delivered with original packaging. The purple ''Alessi'' brand at the middle of the kettle is a sticker that can be removed.

Capacity: 200.00 cl
Diameter: 22.00 cm

The original design of this kettle (model 9093 or also know as ‘’birdy kettle’’ because of the bird whistle on the kettle) by Michael Graves was a great success when it was introduced in 1985, and for Alessi it represented a meeting of great design and mass production methods, a combination that Michael Graves worked hard to achieve, applying his personal visual code which fused influences from Art Deco to Pop Art and even the language of cartoons.

With this kettle Alessi and Abloh’s creative studio Alaska Alaska offer a new interpretation of the postmodern design. Featuring an instantly recognisable bird whistle, the original kettle has become one of Alessi’s most iconic products. The kettle in its new version, with a rejigged name ''3909'', features a distinctive purple handle and the stylised figure of a basketball player, immortalised mid-dunk, to replace the original bird whistle.

‘Taking cues from Michael Graves’ original approach to the “9093” kettle by mixing and introducing various influences into the design process, the ''3909'' kettle references basketball and introduces an iconic silhouette with global resonance into the design outcome,’ reads a statement by Alaska Alaska. ‘This design gesture follows aspects of Virgil's approach specific to referencing different frames of reference often overlooked within the established design culture.’

This reissued kettle is the latest step in Alessi’s evolution as a brand that both represents the history of contemporary design while at the same time conversing with a young generation of design consumers. The ''3909'' merges these worlds, the iconic silhouette by Graves reinterpreted with contemporary icons combining culture, sport and design history.

It is a trajectory that is explained well by Alberto Alessi, who worked closely with Abloh in his final years to bring this collaboration to life:

''After discussions with Virgil Abloh about how we could work together, we understood that his wish to reinterpret some of Alessi’s icons was a challenging idea, and appropriate to the times – and that to start with the Graves kettle would be the best way,’ This was because Virgil’s desire to create “popular” products was similar to the dream Michael Graves had when he told me in the 1980s that his aim was “to create a new American design”. ‘Virgil had a completely different way to look at things and objects. So when he looked at the world of Alessi, it was through the eyes of one who loved the idea of a mechanical workshop, very far from the elegance of what we habitually think of as good design. I found this very interesting, as for us it was a new approach.''

About Alessi:
Alessi, a renowned Italian design brand founded in 1921 Giovanni Alessi, has become a symbol of cutting-edge design and innovative craftsmanship, especially in Postmodernism and Contemporary design as well as some Bauhaus objects. Over the decades, it has collaborated with iconic designers.