Setting its sights on enhancing in-flight customer experiences, Delta Airlines has partnered with Italian design powerhouse Alessi to develop a new line of serviceware – Alessi for Delta – debuting on all Delta One and First Class cabins next month (and on Delta Premium Select by the end of the year).
At 86 pieces strong, the collection is certainly robust. It also has some serious cred, with the creative minds behind the pieces being some of the design industry’s biggest darlings – Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Patricia Urquiola, Campana Brothers, Stefano Giovannoni, Miriam Mirri and Kristiina Lassus.
Most of the pieces were already part of Alessi’s extensive catalogue and include everything from 18/10 stainless steel utensils, crystal glasses and decanters and fine bone china to napkin rings, salt and pepper shakers and tabletop accessories such as trays and baskets.
The pieces have been ever so slightly altered, however, for better in-flight performance. Since partnering with Alessi at the end of 2015, Delta has been test-flying the series in order to gather feedback from both flight attendants and passengers. As the collection evolved, millimetres were shaved off here and ounces were removed there to make dimensions and weights more suitable for air travel. The tinkerings and tweaks were slight, and often the resizing and reimagining was made with input from the original creators to maintain their integrity and appeal.
