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SCMP Reporter

WHAT do Madonna, Robert Redford, Steven Spielberg, Prince Andrew and a Hong Kong interior designer have in common? More than you might think.

  The rich and famous, who have the space and the cash to spare, all share a love of Cesame bathroom products.

  And now you can join them.

  Bathrooms in Madonna's US home, Robert Redford's California ranch, Steven Spielberg's East Hampton mansion and Prince Andrew's English palace boast Cesame fittings.

  With 18-carat gold attachments and names like Belle Epoque and Deco, Madonna's personal choice, the style and quality of the bathroom ranges hark back to another era.

  However, unlike the stars, most Hong Kong people have neither the space nor the means to worry about equipping their bathrooms with luxury sanitary ware.

  But Hong Kong's interior designers, including John Chan Chun-ho, are in the privileged position of having bigger-than-average bathrooms to decorate. Chan has already been seduced by the charm of these classy products, which recently became available in the territory through USC Asia in Wan Chai.

  Ellena Au, the director and general manager of Lockhart Road-based UCS Asia, said the 'James Bond-style' history of the Cesame company attracts stars' attention. The firm, which showcased its products at the Ibex Exhibition in Hong Kong earlier this year, was founded in 1955 by a group of businessmen from northern Italy.

  But the company's driving force was Rudolpho Springorum, an agent in Italy for a number of German factories, including a top manufacturer of ceramic sanitary ware in East Germany.

  After World War II, the East German company received a government order saying all production was to be delivered to Eastern Bloc countries for the post-war reconstruction effort.

  Without this source, Springorum decided to start his own factory in Italy. One vital ingredient was missing - the expertise of his East German production manager.

  So, Springorum took the Bond-style risk of smuggling the manager from behind the Iron Curtain. Since then, Au says, the company has concentrated on producing quality ceramic bathroom suites under the guidance of top designers. Cesame's efforts paid off when it became the first sanitary ware company to be awarded the Compasso d'Oro Design Prix for its System range.

  The launch of the Belle Epoque range, the first complete line of sanitary ware in Italy, was a landmark in Cesame's design history. It features ceramic sinks and gold-plated accessories, which copy an English antique style.

  Another striking line is Deco, based on the Art Deco theme of the 1930s. Deco products have been used in the renovation of the Grand Hotel in Rimini, Italy, an original 1930s building.

  John Chan chose the bathroom fittings for his spacious house on The Peak for the same reason. 'My house was built in the 1930s and still retains some of the original features, so the Deco range fits just perfectly into my home in terms of space and looks.'   Chan says the Cesame ranges reflect a return to classical styles in home decorating. Surprisingly, the Belle Epoque and Deco lines are not outrageously expensive. The whole set, bath, lavatory, sink and taps, costs around HK$60,000.

  But for those on a tighter budget, other styles such as Sintesi, at HK$20,000, are more accessible. The cheapest, the streamlined Fenice line that is popular in China, sells for less than HK$10,000.

  Au explains the company's success: 'Designers are going back to traditional lines when renovating homes and five-star hotels. The range is attracting attention in Hong Kong but is more popular in China. In Hong Kong, designers like to mix and match, but there is a preference in China for the co-ordinated look.'   She admits the proportions of the range make the products impractical for the average Hong Kong apartment, but the company targets mainly architects and designers.

  'The size of Hong Kong bathrooms is a problem, but Cesame will soon be bringing out a mini version of the curvy Aretusa toilet, as used in the Ritz Hotel in Paris, and is working on reducing the proportions of other products to suit the local market.'   Au predicts Cesame's new one-piece toilet, due to be launched in September, will be a winner with local designers. 'Designers always like one-piece toilets because they are quieter due to the lower water level, making them a good choice for en-suite bathrooms,' she says.

  And, as Au points out, although the bathroom is invariably the smallest room in the house, it is still an important part of any interior.

  'Buying a Cesame product means you can get a classy look without hiring an interior designer. You don't renovate your bathroom every year like you change your fashion, so it's worth spending money on.' 



Bathing in Bond-style luxury