Moka Day Celebrates Iconic Italian Coffee Maker Design with 10 Historic and Contemporary Examples
On April 21, Moka Day was inaugurated in conjunction with World Creativity and Innovation Day, celebrating the Moka Express, a beloved Italian design for nearly a century. The event showcases ten legendary moka coffee makers, including the ATOMIC by Giordano Robbiati (1946), Aldo Rossi's La Conica (1984), the Lagostina Coffee Set by Ettore Sottsass and Matteo Thun (1984), Cini Boeri's La Pavoni Caffettiera Opera (1989), Isao Hosoe's MACH (1993), Ettore Sottsass's Lazaniezani (1998), Michele De Lucchi's Pulcina (2014), Mario Trimarchi's Ossidiana (2014), Davide Bozzo's MOKY (2015), and Matteo Frontini's Turbo Moka (2025). The Moka Express transformed home coffee culture in the 1930s and continues to hold cultural importance today, despite contemporary innovations.
Key facts
- Moka Day launched on April 21, coinciding with World Creativity and Innovation Day.
- The Moka Express has been an Italian design icon for nearly a century since its 1930s debut.
- 10 iconic moka designs were featured, spanning from 1946 to 2025.
- Giordano Robbiati created the ATOMIC in 1946, reflecting post-war domestic coffee integration.
- Aldo Rossi's La Conica (1984) reinterpreted the moka as miniature architecture.
- Ettore Sottsass collaborated on designs in 1984 and 1998, emphasizing color and experimentation.
- Cini Boeri's La Pavoni Caffettiera Opera (1989) focused on essentialism and formal purity.
- Matteo Frontini's Turbo Moka (2025) offers a contemporary performance-oriented design.
Entities
Artists
- Giordano Robbiati
- Aldo Rossi
- Ettore Sottsass
- Matteo Thun
- Cini Boeri
- Isao Hosoe
- Michele De Lucchi
- Mario Trimarchi
- Davide Bozzo
- Matteo Frontini
Institutions
- Zani&Zani
- Alessi
- Lagostina
- La Pavoni
Locations
- Italy