Alessi, a leading innovator in housewares design, opened doors to its first American storefront in Georgetown.
By Kinne Chapin
Katie and Diane Peacor browse at the Alessi store. Photo by Neshan Naltchayan.
Alessio Alessi and Deborah Kalkstein at the Georgetown opening. Photo by Neshan Naltchayan.
For lovers of interior design, hearing that Alessi would open a store in DC was something like being invited to your first fashion show. The Italian housewares design brand behind over 2,000 gorgeous products for your home, kitchen, and office has long been a staple for those seeking the ultimate finishing touch- so it’s no surprise that supporters of Alessi would be eager to welcome it to the capital.
And it was quite the welcome! Washington’s design savvy flocked to Cady’s Alley in Georgetown for the opening of Alessi’s store- even CEO of the brand Alessio Alessi came to celebrate the shop’s grand opening. At a VIP reception before the grand opening party, design insiders sipped cocktails and chatted about the future of design in DC. Store owner Deborah Kalkstein, a leader in the DC design community, mixed and mingled with her guests, who were awed by the wide array of Alessi products on display.
Alessi’s new storefront in Georgetown represents more than just a grand opening- the shop is the first Alessi store in the United States, and debuts the brand’s new store concept, complete with fixtures by designer Stefano Giavannoni. We can only hope that the warm welcome Alessi has received here in DC indicates that a greater U.S. presence of this innovative brand is not far away.
Kheira Benkreira, Eric Engberg, Brian Gafney, Alison Tilney, and Christy Schlesinger. Photo by Neshan Naltchayan.
