Excalibur Toilet Brush | Hellerware

Date 1995 | Philippe Starck

“High design for a humble object,” read the headline in the New York Times Home Section on February 16, 1995. Philippe Starck had partnered with Heller to satisfy a longtime desire and the result was making news. “It’s a product I wanted to do for 20 years,” said Starck. “To design a toilet brush would be the most humble service I could give. I’ve always thought it would be the apotheosis of my career.”

The French designer and architect is internationally known for bringing the perfect blend of wit and elegance to everything from furniture to interiors. He sought out Heller to collaborate on Excalibur because he knew it could design the technology and special molds required for his design. Featuring a sword-like handle that protects the user’s hand and a tapered wand capped with a nylon brush, Excalibur looks like a flower from outer space when it’s unsheathed. In 2000, Excalibur was added to the permanent collection at MoMA.

Made with post-consumer recycled plastic, Excalibur is sold in a range of hues. It is not, however, available in basic white because Starck didn’t want it to be invisible in the bathroom. “It’s an object that must be present but remain discreet,” he says.