Alessi Stories Vol. 1

Juicy Salif is not a conventional lemon squeezer; this unique piece was created by the famous artist Philippe Starck, while he was spending a sunny day in Italy. The inspiration of this design has an interesting story behind it. Read below to learn more.

On a Spring day in 1989, Philippe Starck was having a traditional Italian lunch on a shiny terrace on the Isola di Capraia. While his lunch is being served, he enjoys a glass of wine and talks excitedly. At the table arrives a plate of fresh baby octopus, caught that same morning, and Starck starts squeezing a lemon to enhance flavour of the mollusks. All of a sudden, he stops.. he starts looking for a pencil in his bag. Moving his plate away, he starts designing on the paper napkin that is in front of him. In just a couple of minutes, a whole new magical world has been created where fantastic creatures are coming to life, with very long legs and enormous heads. If you look a bit closer, they seem to be citrus squeezers. This is also what Alberto Alessi thought when he saw this drawing on the paper napkin, and he can’t look away. He was expecting a vase, but as the saying affirms: “do not put limits on creativity”. This is how Juicy Salif came to life; the most controversial citrus squeezer of the 20th Century.

This Philippe Starck creation is not only a kitchen accessory, but it's also a beautiful item that can be displayed in any room as a piece of art. Most of your guests will not understand what it is, but it is indeed an interesting story to tell or a great gift idea to surprise anyone with a unique creation.

To learn more about this designer, please click here