Tag Archives: Martini

The Life Negroni, an ode to the sweet life

Posted on by

This month saw the publication of a book that I’ve been working on for over a year. The Life Negroni is a labour of love. We travelled through Europe and beyond to meet almost everyone featured in this book, and it has been such an exciting and rewarding project to be involved with.

The book straddles the world of cocktails, spirits and mixology, of art, architecture and design, film, politics and poetry. It delves into the Negroni’s past, discovering the stories behind its component ingredients, and reviews at its timeless influence on art, design, fashion, music, cinema, politics, poetry… the avant-garde.

We go behind the scenes to meet the king of bitters Campari at its stunning modernist headquarters on the edge of Milan. Here we witness the company’s involvement with the Italian Futurists, and see one of the richest collections from this period.

We learn about Vermouth di Torino at Cocchi, and at Martini & Rossi, in an idyllic spot in the beautiful hills surrounding Turin, we see how design and branding were utilised at a time when such concepts were in their infancy.

In London we visit Beefeater, Tanqueray, Sipsmith and Sacred – craft distillers large and small who are preserving the tradition of London Dry gin, and we squeeze our way into the smallest museum dedicated to all things gin at the Ginstitute.

We sample some of the purest and adventurous Negronis at the Bulgari Hotel in Milan, and Fusion Bar and St Regis in Florence, The Connaught, Artesian, Blue Bar, Salvatore’s at the Playboy Club, Shangri-La at The Shard and Frank’s Cafe in London, the Negroni Bar in Munich, and at the Waldorf Astoria, Lincoln Centre, Parker Palm Springs in America.

Above all we meet the custodians, the guardians of the Negroni. Mixologists, bartenders, fashion designers, car designers, yacht makers, filmmakers and artists past and present who champion this simple cocktail.

The Life Negroni is ultimately an ode to the sweet life – a celebration of the pleasures of living told through a humble classic cocktail.

Hope you enjoy!

Nargess Banks

… and the reviews are coming in. Read what The Spectator, Time Out, Urban Junkies and Form Trends had to say about the book, have a browse through the testimonials here, follow us on facebook, twitter and instagram @Thelifenegroni

Purchase a copy here.

#Thelifenegroni

…. and some kind words by some of our reviewers and readers:

‘Absolutely stunning! This book is destined for greatness,’ Sam Galsworthy, co-founder of Sipsmith

‘The Life Negroni is a gorgeous book offering voyeuristic insights into a way of life which may never have existed anywhere other than the imagination, but one that is no less intoxicating for that. … I was reminded of Luc Sante’s epic No Smoking of 2004, a masterpiece of book design. It is an album, a love letter, a guide, a memoir and a rich source of graphic delight. Only hedonists would enjoy such a thing,’ Stephen Bayley, aesthete, design critic and co-founder of London’s Design Museum

‘Be warned: this is a gripping read,’ Time Out, London

‘The book is FABULOUS!’ Gary Regan, author and mixologist

‘… Like the drink, the book drips European post-war cool. It even manages to juxtapose Florence’s Ponte Vecchio with the Playboy Club…It’s a book in thrall to the Italian idea of sprezzatura, a kind of off-the-cuff stylishness that you can trace back to Baldassare Castiglione’s The Book of the Courier. And it’s just possible it might make you a little thirsty,’ Teddy Jamieson.

‘I am obsessed with it, pouring over each beautiful page, and carrying it all over my home. I may even change my Facebook status to “In a Relationship” with…’ Mariena Mercer, chief mixologist The Cosmopolitan of Los Vegas

‘It is struck me as a reminder of how sweet and beautiful life in Italy has been and, in spite of our chronic financial and political dire strait, still is… It brings out elements of the charm and elegance of our country and of our lifestyle that we Italians sometimes have the tendency to overlook or to forget,’ Maurizio Stocchetto, owner Bar Basso, Milan

‘I love the look and feel. The drink itself had me convinced a long time ago!’ Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW Group director of design

‘Absolutely stunning book… already can see that I am going to love every single page and image,’ Paula Champa, author

‘The book arrived but I could only see it very briefly because Luca Bassani liked it so much that he took it home!’ Monica Paolazzi, on the owner of Wally Yachts

‘I see you found a page even for me… I am honoured,’ Chris Bangle, car designer

‘The Life Negroni is no ordinary cocktail book – it documents the historical, avant-garde, and artistic element to the drink, even down to its botanical origin. It’s like going on the Negroni grand tour. La dolce vita!’ Urban Junkies, London

‘Mille Grazie for taking me on the journey,’ Michele Fiordoliva, co-owner Negroni Bar, Munich

‘It is an honour to be in such a great book with the best bars and colleagues from all around Europe,’ Marco Vezzozi, bar manager Fusion, Florence

‘Liquid history. The Life Negroni, finally out. Honoured to be part of the journey,’ Valentina Dalla Costa, The Unseen, Milan

‘It is even more gorgeous than I thought it would be! I love the size, the canvas feel to the cover… the illustrations inside are just amazing, one after another. It is hard to put it down!!!’ Azadeh Maroufi, New York

‘It is such a beautifully produced book (but I knew it would be),’ Hilary Whitney, Sacred

‘A celebration of the sweet life,‘ Yashu e Prem, Italy

‘The glamour oozes off every page. I was transported to another place and time – one which I wished I could inhabit. I could hear the chink of hand-cut ice cubes, see the perfectly cut suits and smell the waft of expensive perfume. And God did I want a drink!!’ Graham Biggs, BMW Group

Design Talks | 5 – 25 Scrutton Street | Old Street | Shoreditch | London | EC2A 4HJ | UK
Design Talks is published by Spinach Design

All rights and labelled images are covered by ©

Pop in to The Life Negroni pop-up shop

Posted on by

We have a pop-up shop in London next week, for five days only, dedicated to all things The Life Negroni, our latest book. Located in the heart of Shoreditch, in Old Street, the space is designed to excite any true bon vivant and aficionados of the cocktail. Here on sale will be copies of The Life Negroni, and unique prints and posters inspired by the art, design and advertising featured in the book.

The Life Negroni Pop-Up Shop

The Life Negroni Pop-Up Shop

Published by Spinach Publishing, The Life Negroni is the story of the illustrious cocktail and the world it represents. This delicious 300-page coffee table book is the story of the history, ingredients, personalities, music, art, design, fashion, poetry and politics.

And we’ve been receiving some incredible reviews!

Stephen Bayley wrote in The Spectator: ‘It is a gorgeous book offering voyeuristic insights into a way of life which may never have existed anywhere other than the imagination, but one that is no less intoxicating for that…’

‘Be warned: this is a gripping read,’ wrote Time Out

The book takes the readers on a little road trip of sorts around the world to meet the distillers, mixologists, drink historians, aficionados and aesthetes who champion the Negroni. We visit craft gin distillers in London, makers of Vermouth di Torino in Piedmont, and the king of all bitters Campari in Milan.

We trace the drink’s history to 1919 and its alleged birthplace in Florence, and meet with the ancestor of the contesting Corsican family. We explore a world far beyond a cocktail – one that has been the patron of the arts, has embraced pioneering design, branding and advertising, of free spirits.

The Life Negroni is a story that spans generations. It is a story of Italy, of la dolce vita, of Futurism, of aperitivo. It is a story of love and duels, fought to preserve the spirit of a cocktail. It is, above all, a celebration of the pleasures of living.

To quote Stephen Bayley once more: ‘I was reminded of Luc Sante’s epic No Smoking of 2004, a masterpiece of book design. It is an album, a love letter, a guide, a memoir and a rich source of graphic delight. Only hedonists would enjoy such a thing.’

The shop will be open from November 30 to 4 December in Old Street Underground Station, London EC1Y 1BE.

Read more about the book here.

#TheLifeNegroni

Martini, endorsing the avant-garde

Posted on by

A new world has opened up to us through a project we’ve been involved with. The Life Negroni is a book about a classic Italian cocktail. It is also the story of so many other elements, including history, people, art, design and branding – the components that have created this drink. And it has been a fascinating journey. But more on the full project later.

In terms of design history, two of the most intriguing companies we have come across on our journey have been Campari and Martini & Rossi. Campari is a Milanese institution – the liquid hijacks the fashionista city’s evening aperitivo ritual, its hot red hue decorating almost every bar in town. Martini’s story is lovingly linked to Piedmont, to the vermouth di Torino, and the more sober industrial Northern Italian city.

Both companies share an incredible passion for championing the avant-garde through some very sophisticated notions of branding. The two worked with very daring artists, including the Italian Futurists, exploring novel ways of promoting their concepts, experimenting with new typeface, and ultimately creating companies that have been able to surpass so many competitors through history.

We have already published the story of Campari. The Martini & Rossi story began roughly around 1863 when three friends took over a vermouth distillery in the small village of Pessione outside of Turin. Salesman Alessandro Martini, accountant Teofilo Sola and vintner Luigi Rossi called their new company Martini, Sola e C.ia, renamed Martini & Rossi following the death of Sola in 1879.

The partners were attracted to Pessione for its great location nestled amongst the Monferrato hills and its wine producers, and the Turin-Asti-Genoa railway for easy access to the port of Genoa and the world’s exotic herbs and spices. So they purchased the farmhouses, vast surrounding fields and vineyards, and an elegant mansion house with spacious cellars that would become the home of Rossi and his family. Thus begun a journey to take the regional product of Vermouth di Torino to a world market.

Their first step was to perfect their product and create a smoother, more sophisticated and consistent vermouth, one that was far superior to their regional competitors.

Success came quickly for this dynamic partnership and the company took the pioneering steps of shipping crates of vermouth across the Atlantic to New York.

With its large Italian migrant population, and growing cocktail scene, sales of vermouth flourished there. Within a year Martini & Rossi became the sole exporters of three quarters of all vermouth sold in the country, and by the end of the century, the company was selling to over seventy countries.

Visiting the house of Martini which is still based in Pessiona, it is clear that the company was a highly controlled operation from the start. Administrative documents, business stationery, packaging, everything was beautifully designed, with a cohesive design language. Innovative advertising by some of the leading avant-garde artists, designers and writers, ensured the Martini myth was carried to the masses.

By the 1930s, such was the strength of the brand that their logo alone communicated a quintessential Italian lifestyle – full of gioia di vivienne. And by the 1960’s Martini had become the epitome of sophisticated Italy. Andy Warhol’s Pop posters alongside glamorous television ads reinforced this position.

There was the Milan Terrazza Martini, frequented by leading luminaries of the day, firmly implanting the brand in consciousness of contemporary society the world over. This year the company has teamed up with design consultant Pininfarina, a company we often write about in its connection with the motoring world, for a pop up Terrazza at Milan Design Week.

Today Martini remains the world’s number one vermouth producer continuing the tradition of working with leading creatives and with famous names from the word of art, design, fashion and film including in recent times Dolce & Gabbana and George Clooney.

Nargess Banks

The book The Life Negroni is published in the autumn 2015. To pre-order a copy email us at info@thelifenegroni.com.

Read The Story of Campari, of branding, advertising and patronage of the arts here.

Design Talks | 5 – 25 Scrutton Street | Old Street | Shoreditch | London | EC2A 4HJ | UK
Design Talks is published by Spinach Design
All rights and labelled images are covered by ©