Tea Rex

The bird-shaped whistle designed by Michael Graves for his kettle is the most stolen Alessi item in stores around the world. Hence the idea of asking Graves, on the 30th anniversary of the 9093, to design a new one. "For a bird, 30 years is an age comparable to that of Methuselah," the author recalled, "so I imagined that the story of this object would take a new turn and that our little bird would be transformed into a superhero: a creature with the likeness of a reptile that was at once prehistoric, mythological and futuristic."

Graves's personal formal language combines ideas taken from European tradition, Art Deco, American Pop Art and memories of pre-Colombian cultures. The American designer also has an ability to bewitch the general public like few other designers in the Alessi catalogue.