Dr. Albrici of Memphis-Milano says the iconic '80s style never went away

Oceanic by Michele De Lucchi (1981) Photo © Lucien Schweitzer et Editions
Colorado by Peter Shire (1983) Photo © Lucien Schweitzer et Editions
Bel Air by Peter Shire (1982) Courtesy Memphis Post Design Gallery; Photo © Studio Azzurro
The various channels of fashion and design media have been recently awash in Memphis references. The New York Times, W, Wallpaper, even Fast Company have reported on contemporary designers under the influence of the '80s-era Memphis Group.

If a Memphis revival is, in fact, underway, we thought it would be interesting to see how Memphis-Milano—the torch (and license) bearer for the original Memphis designs—feels about it. We reached out to Dr. Alberto Bianchi Albrici, the dedicated owner of the Memphis brand since the mid-1990s, who's had a front row seat to the fortune and failures of these storied pieces, which, by the way, have remained in continuous production for nearly 35 years. Here's what he had to say:

WC: Do you believe we’re in the midst of a Memphis revival? Have you noticed many young designers who seem influenced by Memphis?

Alberto Bianchi Albrici: If I consider all the applications I’ve received over the years from young designers who want to work for us—because they say they share the same spirit and feeling as us—then in my opinion it is difficult to use the word “revival.” Maybe I am a bit biased, but I have always seen a lot of interest in and curiosity about Memphis. It has never stopped. For example, if you consider the world of fashion, which is maybe the most trendy world, Sergio Rossi designed a collection inspired by Memphis in 2013, and only a few months ago Adidas, one of the most popular brands in the world, editioned three pairs of shoes called ZX Memphis. These examples are just a few of the most recent; it’s clear to me that the Memphis myth is still influencing our taste.

WC: What do you think is Memphis’s greatest legacy?

ABA: In general you speak about legacy after the end of something, but Memphis is still hale and hearty. Probably the most important lesson of Memphis is to learn to be free without being influenced by what surrounds you.

WC: What have you found to be the most popular Memphis object over the years?

ABA: The revolution created by Memphis in the design field comes from finding the right mix of unusual shapes, colors, serigraph patterns, and materials. Products such as Carlton, Casablanca, Kristal, Beverly, and Ashoka all represent very well the Memphis philosophy. Maybe for this reason, they are still the most iconic and popular objects.

We wholeheartedly believe that the world of collectible design would not exist as we know it today were it not for the radical designers of 1970s and ‘80s Italy!

*All photos courtesy of Memphis-Milano.

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    Wava Carpenter

    Seit ihrem Studium in Designgeschichte an der Parsons School of Design hatte Wava schon in vielen Bereichen der Designkultur den Hut auf: sie lehrte Designwissenschaft, kuratierte Ausstellungen, überwachte Auftragsarbeiten, organisierte Vorträge, schrieb Artikel und erledigte alle möglichen Aufgaben bei Design Miami. Wava lässt den Hut aber im Büro – auf der Straße bevorzugt sie ihre Sonnenbrille.