Large Blue Petalo Vase by Alessandro Mendini for Purho

Alessandro Mendini was born in Milan in 1931. Through his work as an architect, designer, journalist, and publisher, Mendini has helped establish the Italian design sensibility on a global scale—with a particular focus on neo-modern, avant-garde design, as well as the cross-over between art, design, and architecture.

Mendini’s work spans the arenas of graphics, furniture, interiors, architecture, stage design, writing, and painting. He was the publisher of the popular magazines Casabella (1970-76), Modo and Domus (each 1979-85). In 1979, he joined Ettore Sottsass and Michele De Lucchi as a partner at Studio Alchimia before he cofounded Domus Academy in 1982.

In recognition of his outstanding body of work, Mendini was awarded the Compasso d’Oro twice, in 1979 and 1981. He was also honored by the Architectural League of New York and made Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in France. His work is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, among others.

Presently, Mendini teaches at Milan’s Polytechnic University. He and his brother Francesco run their practice, Atelier Mendini, together in Milan.

Purho was founded by Andrea Dotto in 2012 with the ambition of merging the traditional craftsmanship of hand-blown Murano glass with the tastes and aesthetics of contemporary design.

Achieved in an artful symphony of color, iridescence, and transparency, Purho works with a carefully chosen selection of exemplary designers. The brand presents a collection of vases, lighting pieces, glasses, and bowls that celebrate a dance between the light that the translucence of glass allows and vibrant pops of color in hues of orange, blue, red and pink.

Based on the notion of creating ‘fairy-tale’ objects that are realized by master glaziers in Murano, Purho’s pieces may be functional but they could also easily be perceived as works of art. The vases by Karim Rashid, in particular, look like sculptures—shining feats of balance, color, and form. And while each piece created by Purho is a fine example of serious Italian craftsmanship, they also exude a lightness, sense of fun, and charm.