Alessi - Alessandro Mendini - Corkscrew - ''Parrot'' - Cast aluminiumin and PC.

Designed by Alessandro Mendini for Alessi, the Parrot sommelier corkscrew transforms a professional wine tool into a playful and instantly recognisable design object. With its elongated body, characteristic beak and compact folding mechanism, the silhouette unmistakably resembles a parrot, demonstrating Mendini’s talent for introducing humour and personality into functional everyday objects.

The black version gives the Parrot a particularly elegant and understated appearance. The deep black body contrasts beautifully with the polished metallic head and mechanism, emphasising the sculptural lines of the design.

Despite its playful appearance, the Parrot is a fully functional sommelier corkscrew. The mechanism is manufactured under licence from Pulltap’s, combining Mendini’s unconventional design with the proven functionality of a professional wine-opening system. The lever mechanism provides effective leverage and controlled cork extraction, making the Parrot not merely a decorative object, but a practical tool designed for regular use.

Its clever construction allows the functional components to fold neatly into the bird-shaped body when not in use. The result is typical of Mendini’s approach to design: an ordinary utensil transformed through form, colour and imagination into an object with its own distinct character.

The Parrot therefore sits comfortably between functional wine accessory and collectible Italian design object. In this black execution, the restrained colour palette gives Mendini’s whimsical design a particularly sophisticated character, making it equally suited to use, display or inclusion in a design collection.

Use:
The Parrot functions as a professional sommelier corkscrew, combining a folding spiral and lever mechanism within its compact bird-shaped body. The Pulltap’s-licensed mechanism provides controlled leverage when extracting the cork, while the elongated body offers a comfortable grip.

Condition:
New and unused, complete with original packaging.

Dimensions:
3.0 x 2.5 cm, height 13.0 cm.

Designer – Alessandro Mendini (1931–2019):
Architect, designer, artist and theorist, Alessandro Mendini was one of the central figures in the development of Italian postmodern and radical design. After studying architecture at the Politecnico di Milano, Mendini became an influential designer as well as an editor of important architecture and design magazines. His work challenged the dominance of strict functionalism by introducing decoration, colour, symbolism and historical references into everyday objects. Throughout his career, Mendini collaborated with renowned manufacturers including Alessi, Magis, Kartell and Artemide. His work received numerous international distinctions, including three Compasso d'Oro awards and the European Prize for Architecture.