As Indians turn loo-savvy, global brands tiptoe in

From a stash zone to a sybarite lounge, the bath has come a long way

MUMBAI: When businessman Jeet Jogani refurbished four bathrooms at his residence in Walkeshwar recently, he spent Rs 4 lakh.

“We went for functionality with looks. A lot of friends also insisted on choosing the right brand, since they had also opted for it,” Jogani, 23, said.

That’s quite a change from some time ago.

Legend from the Licence Raj has it that the loaded folk would often stash away lakhs of unaccounted rupees in their bathrooms — under the commode, behind the basin, stacked beneath the bathtub…

But these days, the moneyed folk would rather spend the cash to doll up their loo — and that would include blowing thousands on a spiffy spigot or lakhs on gold-plated faucet.

Jogani is symptomatic this growing segment of Indian consumers. But by spending Rs 4 lakh, he hasn’t splurged at all, going by what renowed architect Hafeez Contractor says people spend on bathrooms these days —  Rs 10 to Rs 15 lakh for places as large as bedrooms.

“The time spent in a bathroom is very personal. That’s when you are devoting time only to yourself and people want to ensure that whatever equipment the body comes in absolute contact with is of the best quality,” says Contractor, who recently designed a bathroom for a client that, at 1,500 square feet, is bigger than 90% of the apartments in Mumbai.

It’s a trend that has warmed the cockles of global bathroom equipment makers everywhere.

So when Hansgrohe AG, a German bathroom fittings company, recently set up a subsidiary in Pune, it only joined a league of others who are increasingly looking at India as the new sales El Dorado.

“After Russia, China and the Middle-East, India is our most exciting market for bathroom luxury products,” said Nicholas Matten, managing director, Hansgrohe India.

“The huge population, the robust economic growth and the real estate boom — we would have been foolish to be sleeping,” he said.

US-based Kohler, another brand from Germany called Grohe, and Japan’s Toto have already pitched tent.

But Hansgrohe has been active in India since 1999 through an alliance with segment leader Jaquar and Company Ltd.

“There’s a radical change in the way a significant section of Indian consumers are spending. Unlike the perceived mentality of saving and accumulating wealth, today they are willing to indulge and splurge more,” Matten said.

The target audience for such companies consists largely of businessmen, multinational employees and IT professionals and society tish-tosh. Pankaj Sharma, assistant general manager, Jaquar and Company Ltd, agrees with Matten and Contractor. “For the upmarket consumers, bathrooms have increasingly evolved into zones of relaxation and pleasure, rather than mere bathing. People are spending a lot of time pampering themselves in bathrooms.”

He said several Jaquar clients have created bathroom in areas admeasuring 300 to 400 sq feet, and loaded them with luxury fittings of international brands.

Powai-based architect Milind Mankame says, while the demand for mid-range cubicles and massage showers priced upwards of Rs 40,000 has been consistent, enquiries for plumbing appliances range that cost between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 4 lakh are going consistently higher.

“Dealers have also taken after-sales service seriously because consumers are showing the inclination to spend,” Mankame says.

But Niranjan S Doshi a consultant with leading builder K Raheja, said unlike other countries, India is not yet a ‘replacement market’, referring to a majority of people’s inclination to stick with the bathroom fittings that they inherit at the time of buying their flat.

“Hence architects, interior designers and plumbing appliance companies are forging alliances with builders, so that installations can be done during the construction phase itself,” Doshi said, while explaining K Raheja’s association with Jaguar. That, however, is unlikely to decelerate the splurging speed. “Many clients these days just break down such readymade bathrooms and install their own fantasies,” said another city-based architect.

Precisely why Jaquar has now set up a customisation wing.

Rajesh Mehra, director of marketing at Jaquar, says this has been done because of demand. “More are more people are seeking customised bathroom luxury,” he says.

Precisely why Nicholas Matten smiles a lot these days.

c_arcopol@dnaindia.net