Clear luxury

Internationally renowned designer Philippe Starck has been creating exceptional collections for the AXOR design brand for over 20 years now. For the 2023 edition of the ISH in Frankfurt the creative team presented two new lines that make bathroom downtime an exceptional experience both in terms of function and aesthetics.

by Anna Moldenhauer | 3/16/2023

Philippe Starck wants his designs to last for eternity. The French designer is a free thinker, as rigorous as he is unconventional, his formal vocabulary as minimalist as it is extravagant, and he has the talent to surprise us with each of his new designs. Many of his creations are now seen as iconic classics. Starck manages time and again to put the plain-vanilla notion of product design to the test and in so doing present his audiences with a fresh new perspective. As long ago as 1994, he created the “Salon d'eau”, the first modern bathroom/living space, which was also the first bathroom collection for AXOR. Several further collections followed in cooperation with the Hansgrohe Group design brand AXOR, together with whom Starck brought new dynamism to bathrooms with his designs spanning everything from the short-bar hand shower to the glass faucet. Guests at the ISH 2023 were able to explore the latest result of this successful collaboration: The bathtub and washbasins in the"AXOR Suite" collection: created using the robust SolidSurface high-tech material, which thanks to the combination of acrylic resin and natural materials offers a non-porous, easy-to-clean surface.

Starck has conjured up numerous options for personalization when it comes to finding the perfect variation for one’s bathroom – be it round and rectangular shapes for the washbasins, finishes in satin black, chrome or AXOR Finish Plus – with the latter available in brushed or polished versions. Philippe Starck combines these with a further durable material, namely metal. He achieves a pleasantly elegant refinement in the bathroom with details such as shiny edging for the washbasin or a distinctive metal bathtub shelf. The ShowerComposition line Starck has likewise masterminded has a clear design, can be universally applied, and yet has a distinct character with its extra flat forms: The body and head of the shower translate architectural language into design with ultra-slim profiles, wide vertical panels, and precise angles. The shower and thermostat modules offer an intuitively comprehensible geometry which can be arranged according to one’s own wishes for complete control of the water amount and temperature. As usual, Starck’s designs for AXOR don’t stop at stunning aesthetics – their function is what makes for an extraordinary experience, too, as with the PowderRain jet setting for the overhead shower or the adjustable angle of inclination of the hand-held shower of the same name. All details are coordinated and lead to a harmonious unit no matter which finish and variation are combined, with AXOR’s core values of innovation, individualization and perfection always ideally presented. Philippe Starck and AXOR’s joint commitment to sustainability goes even further than the durability of the design and the universal aesthetics of the products: Since the majority of the components are manufactured in Germany, the carbon footprint of the two collections is also gratifyingly low.

AXOR @ ISH 2023
13 to 17 March 2023
Festhalle 2.0 | Stand A02

ISH 2023 World's Leading Trade Fair for HVAC + Water
Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1
60327 Frankfurt am Main