Architect, designer and artist Alessandro Mendini passed away on Monday 18 February. A tireless, tongue-in-cheek visionary, he founded and theorised about some of the most influential currents of design in the second half of the twentieth century: Alchimia, Memphis and Global Tools all carry his colourful and irreverent brand.
Numerous companies from Italy and beyond worked with the designer, and now owe their success in part to the inspirational nature of his creative mind. His iconic glasses for Swatch became legendary, as did the Anna G. bottle opener, the Anna Pepper pepper mill for Alessi, the Amuleto lamp for Ramun and of course, the immortal Proust armchair produced for Magis. His works also provided the inspiration for the current MIDO communication campaign.
The disappearance of the master will leave a creative and human void, although we feel certain that his ideas will never cease to inspire.