Because fittings in those days looked like parts of a machine and there was hardly a hint of aesthetics in the bathroom. In contrast, design was loaded with mysticism and therefore of course very attractive. Back then the target group who could be appealed to with design was no more than 10 or 20%. At the same time there was, however, the chance to make a name for the company, in the same way that Braun did.  Design was only democratised later.

 

Difficult to say – we might possibly not be where we are today. With our affinity to design Hansgrohe turned into something like a colourful bird. Because we are more colourful than our competition, we were in a position to set a trend. The numerous counterfeit products on the market are proof of this.

 

For me good design always results from a dialogue with functional demands, in other words, “form follows function�. This is the only way to actually be in a position to create innovation with added value, be it functional, aesthetic or emotional. Looked at it from this angle, design simply helps to improve the product. And precisely this gives us an advantage over the competition. And at the same time there are the technological advantages of production, because with the demand for product design, the products themselves improve in quality. That’s how it was with our first product to receive a design award: the colourful plastic hand shower ‘Tribel’ was a multi-spray shower with a swivelling shower head.

 

Yes, you could describe it like that. Take, for example, the development of Raindance. In those days I was in hospital with a broken hip and had a lot of time to think. Back then we had a somewhat unsuccessful range of showers and I had thought: “Damn, how can we improve on this?� The idea came to me in my sick bed: “Why don’t we turn everything around? We are not going to invent the 16th type of spray, but we simply create a much larger shower with a much shorter handle attached�. I can distinctly remember the discussion with Andreas Haug on the phone: “No, it must have a diameter of 150cm, it must not be smaller, otherwise the overweightedness will not be highlighted.�

 

Of course, and after three weeks he returned with a Raindance hand shower. It was perfect, and we were able to produce it straight away, just like the first styropor model. I think something like this can only work for us with Phoenix Design.

 

No, creativity works best when I am together with a small number of people and the sparks are flying. When everybody knows exactly what they are talking about. Then one can continue to add and add to it just like a spiral staircase. It is always in this circle – which can be very different depending on the project – where everybody improves on what the other has done. A creative spirit develops and then one follows the other.

 

Indeed, Philippe Starck has a house on Formentera just like I do. It takes about 20 minutes on the bike from one to the other. We meet on the balcony of his house to discuss ideas about products. It is enormously helpful here that we are both speaking the same language – French actually. Apart from that there is a very creative atmosphere on Formentera.

 

Starck has the “iron arm�, as the French say. He can simply put across many things due to his strong personality and his conviction. The good thing is, when one works with Starck he is totally flexible during the period of the creative process. He only becomes dominating much later and says: “That has to be like this.� But during the time of the creative process you can say: “Hey, Starck, that is not possible for technical reasons.� And then in next to no time he creates a small new drawing. During this time he is very flexible and this is also the reason why he is such fun to work with.

 

I am under the impression that people again want to have more rather than less. There is the odd splash of colour and there are new surfaces, like for example brushed nickel which is well received by women. White seems to still have a role. The world is possibly becoming more colourful and the table will be laid somewhat more generously regarding the products.

 

Especially during the last 10 to 15 years, the bathroom has experienced a great deal of added value. I expect that the continuity in bathroom style will become stronger. Instead of the today still habitual mix’n’match, the bathroom will become more uniform. What stylistic direction this will take I can’t say. But I suspect that there will be different shapes and with this bathrooms will turn their backs on the individual range of components resulting in a stylistic uniformity.

Interview: Frank A. Reinhardt