Alias

Alias has served as a beacon of Italian design for nearly four decades. It was founded in 1979 with a philosophy of technological lightness, versatility and innovation. These values have led to the brand’s close association with some of the world’s most renowned designers. Collaborations that have grown and developed over many years and with each collaboration the peculiar talent of each designer is celebrated. Alias design furniture is suited for contract purposes in a variety of settings. This area of use proves equally congenial, thanks to its multifaceted aspects, to this increasingly broad-ranging, consistent and well-matched catalogue of products.

Success began with Giandomenico Belotti’s 'Spaghetti' chair, produced in the same year 1979, a chair which was one of Alias’ first creations to become part of the MoMA collection in New York. Other collaborations soon followed, in 1993 Jasper Morrison based his Atlas collection on the single concept of legs in conic stove enamel steel. Then in 1996 Riccardo Blumer created the 'Laleggera' chair for Alias, winning the “Compasso d’Oro ADI” prize in 1998. The new millennium bought Flexus by Paolo Rizzato in 2000. A brand new form of upholstery, in which the holes in the back lighten our perception of its dimensions. Nine years later Alias and Michelangelo Pistoletto collaborated with Juan E.Sandoval and Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto to create The Mediterranean Seas – Love Difference chairs project. 248 chairs from the Laleggera collection composed in six different seas, as a symbol of integration between different cultures. In 2011, Alias won the Compasso d’Oro ADI for its teak table by Alberto Meda. While in 2015 Beat Zaugg, president of Alias, architect and managing director of Alias Renato Stauffacher and Andrea Sanguineti, architect and Brand Manager of the company, all became in charge of the development of the historical design brand made in Italy.

In terms of Eco Design, Alias aims to minimise environmental impact through policies involving each phase of its operations. The brand’s commitment to environmental impact is demonstrated by its continuous research into ecological solutions, such as the development of Mater-Bi eco-packaging for the Norma chair designed by Michele De Lucchi.

Alias is member of the Altagamma Foundation, a Foundation that since 1992 has united high-end Italian companies operating in the cultural and artistic industry, which are internationally recognised for their innovation, top-quality, design, service levels and prestige. All the members of Altagamma are global ambassadors for Italian lifestyle and their products and services are symbolic within a variety of sectors, including: fashion, design, jewellery, food, hospitality, speed and wellness.

Designer Focus

 

Alfredo Häberli

Häberli is a renowned Swiss-Argentinian industrial designer, based in Zurich. Much of his work is strongly influenced by his early childhood in Argentina as well as his curiosity and exploration of everyday life. His designs unite tradition and innovation, along with joy and energy. Häberli has worked alongside leading companies in design including Iittala, BMW, Luceplan and Schiffini, with his most extensive project to date is the 25hours Hotel Zurich West, for which he designed more than 60 products and oversaw the overall interior decoration. Häberli’s work has been shown in numerous exhibitions and he has received many awards. In 2014, he received the prestigious Swiss Grand Prix of Design from the Swiss Federal Office of Culture.

Alberto Meda

Italian designer Alberto Meda has an academic background in mechanical engineering, it frequently presents a technical quality, as seen in his iconic chair designed for Alias, which incorporate a series of comfort-aiding mechanisms, without any compromise on style. Meda's first chair for Alias, the 'Light Light' chair, was designed in 1987 and is displayed in the permanent collection of New York's MoMa and is a testament to the longevity of Meda's work, which consistently manages to be both timeless and contemporary.

Nendo

Canadian-born Oki Sato, founder of Nendo, is an internationally established name in the field of design. With a base in Tokyo and another in Milan, the award-wining studio produces a range of designs inspired by daily life. Clients include Cappellini, Moroso, DePadova, Starbucks and Puma.

Iconic Products

 

'Spaghetti' Chair

The Giandomenico Belotti-designed 'Spaghetti' chair is unexpected and striking. Named for the long, flexible strands of PVC that cover its seat and back, the durable black PVC strands are paired with a painted steel frame for a neat balance of the hard and the soft, which in turn lends the chair a physical and aesthetic lightness that defies it sturdiness.

'Laleggera' Chair

The 'Laleggera' is widely considered as the purest manifestation of the archetypical chair. It was designed by Riccardo Blumer in 1996. Built from solid dark wood, the contemporary chair has been globally celebrated for its uncomplicatedness and purity. In 1998 the design was awarded the prestigious Compasso D’Oro ADI and the 'Laleggera' chair can now be found in the permanent collections of New York's MoMa, Paris' Centre Pompidou and the Triennale in Milan.

'Meetingframe 44' Chair

Designed by Alberto Meda for Alias, the 'Meetingframe 44' is a sturdy, black swivel chair supported by four sides. Made from aluminium, the chair presents a striking linear silhouette, while a polyester flame retardant mesh network covering the seat and back provides comfort.

'Bigframe 44' Chair

Another design by Alberto Meda, the 'Bigframe 44' chair for Alias combines a sturdy, stackable aluminium frame with a comfortable seat and back. In keeping with the rest of the Meda's designs for the brand the black chair traverses architecture, nature, sculpture and design for an end product that is both durable and ergonomic.

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Shop via Designer:

• Alberto Meda
• Alfredo Häberli
• Nendo