Architect Branding Continues to Create Profits at Both Ends

Alberto Alessi, the Italian housewares manufacturer, has commissioned 22 architects for high-end kitchen products.

Alberto Alessi, the Italian housewares manufacturer, has commissioned 22 architects for high-end kitchen products. Added to the list are Zaha Hadid, Toy Ito, Greg Lynn, Ben van Berkel, Kazuyo Sejima, Dominique Perrault, Will Alsop, David Chipperfield, Gary Chang, and Thom Mayne. While the high-end market continues to grow, so does the low end. Michael Graves’ Alessi Teapot now costs $125 while his design for the teapot at Target sells for $25. Architect Philippe Starck too reported having equal success at target. David Rockwell has just announced that he is making a house wares line for Meijer, the Midwestern superstore chain. The fees for the project vary but most are tied to market success and volume of sales. A low single digit percentage on each sale is becoming most common.

**source:***Greenway Consulting*