‘first for mental workout and game’: how starck’s iconic lemon squeezer broke the mold

THE STORY BEHIND THE ICONIC JUICY SALIF

There are few household objects that have generated as much discussion as Philippe Starck’s Juicy Salif. Since its introduction by Alessi in 1990, the aluminum citrus squeezer has been praised as a masterpiece, dismissed as impractical, exhibited in museums, and debated in design schools around the world. More than three decades later, it remains instantly recognizable, not because it extracts lemon juice better than its competitors, but because it fundamentally challenged what an everyday object could be. Juicy Salif is a manifesto, asking whether industrial design should only solve problems or whether it can also provoke humor and conversation.

In 1988, while eating fried squid at a seaside restaurant on the Italian island of Capraia, Philippe Starck began sketching on the paper placemat before him. Instead of the steel tray Alberto Alessi had commissioned, the French designer drew a creature with long, slender legs supporting a tapered body. Somewhere between squid, spider, rocket, and alien life form, the drawing eventually evolved into Juicy Salif. 

all images courtesy of STARCK, unless stated otherwise

PHILIPPE STARCK’S APPROACH TO FORM AND FUNCTION

The real turning point came when Alberto Alessi agreed to put the object into production. Starck had delivered something entirely different from what had been commissioned, yet Alessi saw its potential immediately. By the late 1980s, the Italian company was increasingly interested in objects that could surprise alongside serving a practical purpose.

Juicy Salif appears unlike almost any citrus press before it, standing nearly thirty centimeters tall on three elongated legs; it resembles an alien organism. Its sculptural quality stems partly from Starck’s explanation of the project. The design began as an exercise in ‘reverse topography,’ transforming the concave shape of a citrus press into a convex form. What started as an intellectual game also had a practical outcome, removing the recessed surfaces that are harder to clean. The finished object was strikingly unfamiliar, its three long legs and tapered body giving it the appearance of a sea creature.

For much of the twentieth century, modernist principles promoted the belief that form should directly express function. The famous dictum by Louis Sullivan ‘form follows function’ became a cornerstone of industrial design. Juicy Salif seemed to disregard these expectations almost entirely, inviting interpretation before operation.

Its release also coincided with broader shifts in design culture. During the 1980s, groups such as Memphis questioned the austerity of modernism, embracing color and irony. The French designer occupied a different position from the Italian collective, yet Juicy Salif shared this willingness to reconsider the role of objects in daily life. 

Philippe Starck photographed with Juicy Salif by Benainous Edelhart

WHY THE ALESSI LEMON SQUEEZER BECAME A DESIGN ICON

The most persistent controversy of the object, however, concerns its actual performance. Users have long pointed out that the three-legged structure can feel unstable during use, while juice often runs along the polished aluminum body before dripping onto the table. Because acidic citrus gradually reacts with untreated aluminum, the object requires careful cleaning after each use. Others note that the absence of an integrated filter allows seeds and pulp to pass directly into the glass. Judged purely as a kitchen tool, Juicy Salif is neither the easiest nor the most efficient citrus press available.

Starck has never denied these shortcomings. ‘Juicy Salif is not only about squeezing lemons,’ he once remarked. ‘When someone asks, ”What is this?” a conversation begins.’ In that single statement, the intended function of the object shifts dramatically. If its purpose is measured solely by extracting juice, the design remains open to criticism. If, however, its role is to stimulate dialogue, then its extraordinary longevity begins to make sense. 

Today, the citrus squeezer appears in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, where it is presented as a landmark in contemporary industrial design. It has inspired countless essays, academic studies, exhibitions, and imitations, becoming one of the most analyzed domestic products ever manufactured. In 2020, Alessi revisited the project through Juicy Salif Studio No. 3, a limited bronze edition based on one of Starck’s earliest prototypes.

Juicy Salif, designed by Philippe Starck for Alessi, was introduced in 1990

THE LASTING LEGACY OF A DESIGN CLASSIC

Another paradox surrounding Juicy Salif is that many owners rarely use it. It occupies countertops, bookshelves, and dining tables with the confidence of a small sculpture. Some purchase it despite already owning more efficient citrus squeezers. Others receive it as a gift from people who know its story. The object survives because optimization is not the only thing people are always searching for, but they also seek delight, identity, memory, and the stories that come with an object. Starck opened unexpected possibilities for industrial design by treating a citrus press as an opportunity for formal experimentation.

More than 35 years after its introduction, Juicy Salif continues to divide opinion. Some still see an impractical kitchen gadget; others see one of the defining objects of late twentieth-century design. Yet perhaps the greatest achievement of the object is that it reminds us that design is never only about solving problems. Sometimes, its most lasting contribution is to change the questions we ask. What if usefulness includes wonder? What if starting a conversation is itself a function? And what if the most playful ideas turn out to be the ones that endure?

the polished aluminum citrus squeezer stands on three elongated legs

one of the most recognizable objects in contemporary industrial design

the original paper placemat from a restaurant on Capraia Island

a concept sketch explores the spiral form and three-legged structure that shaped the final design

early design studies trace the evolution of Juicy Salif’s distinctive three-legged form

Juicy Salif Studio No. 3, a limited bronze edition released by Alessi in 2020

project info:

name: Juicy Salif

designer: Philippe Starck | @starck

manufacturer: Alessi | @alessi_official

This article is part of designboom’s PLAY chapter, exploring what would happen if form didn’t follow function, but pleasure. Discover more stories that celebrate joy, imagination and playfulness here.

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