Trone: Sculptural Toilets from French Brand Hugo Volpei

In 2018, Hugo Volpei founded Trone, a French brand that transforms toilets into artistic pieces. The inspiration struck him after he encountered the unique egg-shaped toilets at London's Sketch restaurant, which contrasted with the mundane toilet inside. Volpei, an HEC business school alumnus, began without any industry connections, relying on a Google search for "toilet manufacturing process." A childhood friend helped create the initial prototype. Trone gained momentum with a contract from the Big Mamma restaurant group, which required seven toilets within six months. An engineer was brought on board to bring the designs to life. Today, Trone's clientele includes LVMH, Marriott International, and The Berkeley, offering a diverse collection of toilets, basins, and accessories. Notable designs include 'Callipyge', 'Icone', and the newly introduced 'Altesse', showcased at Milan Design Week 2026. 'Altesse' is a sleek, wall-mounted toilet with a remote concealed behind a ceramic panel, avoiding unnecessary complexity. Other basin designs feature the doughnut-shaped 'Orbe' and 'Ritual', which creates a funnel-shaped water vortex. Volpei's goal is to elevate the perception of toilets to something desirable, playing with names like Trone (throne), Altesse (highness), and Callipyge (well-shaped buttocks).