Merdolino Toilet Brush (Blue) - Alessi

The well-known Merdolino (blue) is one of the most successful examples of the playful cartoon language typical of Stefano Giovannoni's 1990s projects. The designer deals with an essential but "prohibited" item, the toilet brush, and without any hesitation turns it into a slim pot that houses a lovely long shrub.

Created as part of the F.F.F. (Family Follows Fiction) metaproject, an operation in the early 1990s that aimed to explore the affective structure of shapes and objects, starting from the idea of reproducing the object creation process followed by children and primitive cultures.

In Stefano Giovannoni's design, the toilet brush is transformed from an "off limits" object into a svelte pot holding a long and strangely inviting shrub. Merdolino caused a scandal among the conventional design fraternity but has enjoyed enormous success over the years.

Merdolino is made from durable thermoplastic resin and it resembles a bean sprout growing out of a plant pot. The plant-like brush has a head that can be detached for washing and replacement and a circular seal that sits on top of the pot-shaped base, trapping any unpleasant odors.

A humble item transformed from something discreet and hidden into a source of amusement and pleasure.