Marcel Wanders has been intrigued by the Circus since he was very young.  His company's name, Wanders Wonders, suggests a sense of awe like the circus. Many of his designs have a strong graphic sensibility in combination with humor- as well as featuring an uncanny ability to look beyond trends and into the world of ironic anachronism. 

Fatman, Marcel's first foray into circus imagery and characters, was introduced a number of years ago. A take on the traditional folding cake stand, the piece opens into tiers with the face being the image of Wanders himself, the clown. This personal 'clown' design is fundamentally a logo of Wanders' work, and is seen everywhere from details on Alessi cookware to his favicon. Oh, and his picture at the top of this post.

Wanders has a strong relationship with Alessi, and has designed everything from an extensive tabletop collection to a series of Christmas-related products.  The most brilliant and daring collaboration with the firm is the Circus Collection.

According to Wanders:

“Since its beginning, Alessi has been the standard for excellence in the area of kitchenware, particularly with stainless steel. Alessi is a company that creates with integrity. They have been know to make prototype after prototype until they perfectly express the vision of designer. I wanted to collaborate with them in the deepest roots of their company, but do so in a way that brings an innovative approach to stainless steel while taking it to another level of creativity. Knowing this we explored how we could merge color and stainless steel in fun, unexpected and unique ways. We were very inspired by the challenge of combining the functionality of kitchenware with the imagination and pageantry of the circus.

 

 

With the concept of the circus, and the surprising display it’s known for, we were able to bring colorful delight and energy to what Alessi has built its reputation upon. This circus is a sensory experience that never leaves you. It’s magical. It’s mystical. It’s larger than life. That’s what we capture in this collection - that one-of-a-kind spectacle. The concept throughout the pieces borrows from the historical, unexpected symbols from the circus universe resonating an experience of wonder and amusement. In addition to this, our goal was to create collectible heirlooms - these are not just plates and mugs and bowls. The character group includes a set of a five distinct classical kitchen tools as specially-made sculptures. Each has its own fantastical personality and purpose.”

 

 

The Circus Collection is comprised of kitchen, barware, and serveware, along with a number of limited edition characters.

The complete Circus Collection is available at Amusespot here.

Many Americans have never seen a properly extended collapsible cake stand. 
Here you go: