You don’t have to make every dinner table conversation sound insular to the great vinous unwashed. With “Anna G.”, opening a bottle of wine turns into a memorable and poetic act, guaranteed to steal the scene from the most expensive vino.

“Anna G.” is a corkscrew that has become one of the iconic products of Italian design house Alessi and one of the most well-known pieces of Milan-born designer and architect Alessandro Mendini, who is also an image consultant for Philips, Swarovski, Swatch, and Bisazza.

Inspired by the graceful gesture of a ballerina holding her arms high in the air and then putting them down slowly, Mendini bestowed Anna G. with the imagery fantasy of a ballerina on a mere corkscrew. Named after his girlfriend,  Anna Gili, Mendini inserted his own story to the design and gave it a new significance that is both personal and warm-hearted.

Although the Anna G. corkscrew has been around at Alessi for 17 years now and has seen various transformations – in a variety of colors, in plastic and zamak, in many special editions, and in both miniaturized and monumental versions – it’s only recently that it has undergone extreme styling, further elevating its cult status.

With enamels and precious stones of various types surrounding her face and body designed by a master jeweler from Valenza Po, the famous Anna G. ballerina corkscrew is sure to transform your dinner table into a sparkling stage.

The limited edition of the bejeweled Anna G. only has 99 copies each of six different designs, and only nine copies of a single design that features a necklace of real diamonds. Of these limited editions, five designs are currently on display and available for purchase at the Alessi store in Bonifacio High Street at The Fort. 

While Alessi prides itself as a design factory with its unique collaboration with designers and architects, it is also known for producing beautiful and high-quality cookware. Among its best known products are Richard Sapper’s kettle with a two-tone whistle, Michael Graves’ kettle with bird-shaped whistle, and Philippe Starck’s Juicy Salif citrus squeezer, all available at the local Alessi store at The Fort.

“These Alessi pieces are not just for design collectors or art lovers; these are all objects of simple and functional form that will really be a welcome addition to every home,” said Eric Lim, one of the proprietors of the Alessi store in Manila and also vice president of Conlins Coffee World, Inc., the country’s first ISO 22000 certified coffee company.