Parrot Sommelier-Corkscrew

The Parrot Sommelier-Corkscrew was created by Alessandro Mendini for the leading Italian manufacturer Alessi.

In addition to working as a consultant for the company for many years, Alessandro Mendini has devised some of its most enduring and best-loved products -- pieces that blend an understanding of function with an impish sense of humour and an eye for bold, simple forms. During a career that stretches back to the 1950s, he has been a journalist and educator as well as the architect of several eye-catching buildings, most notably the yellow tower of the Groningen Museum in the Netherlands.

Winner of a Design Plus Award, the Parrot Sommelier-Corkscrew effortlessly deceives the eye. Made from cast aluminium and measuring 13cm in length and 2.5cm in width, it is, on the one hand, a sturdy and practical folding corkscrew designed to fit in the pocket. Opened up, it seems entirely functional, but when closed, all of those functional details combine to perfectly imitate the shape of an exotic bird; note, for example, the hinge posing as an eye, or the way the handle swoops down and juts out, suggesting the contours of wing and tail feathers. It's available in a choice of lifelike colours.