Chiara Alessi has published a new book titled "La sedia del sadico. Il design sul corpo delle donne" (The Sadist's Chair: Design on Women's Bodies), published by Laterza. In an interview with Artribune, Alessi explains that the book aims to challenge historically accepted paradigms in design that are often considered "natural" and "neutral." She focuses on objects that have been overlooked by designers yet reinforce social structures of exclusion and silencing, starting from the female body as a lens to examine broader issues of marginalization in design history.
The book matters because it brings a feminist perspective to design history, questioning why certain objects and experiences—particularly those affecting women and other marginalized bodies—have been ignored or deprioritized in design discourse. Alessi's work contributes to ongoing conversations about inclusivity in material culture, urging readers to reconsider how everyday objects shape social relations and reflect power structures. It also highlights the need to recover the contributions of women designers who have been historically overlooked.