PHILIPS FADE

Philips Fade is a redesign of traditional hair clippers, focused on bridging the salon and barbershop environments and enabling a seamless hair cutting experience. The project is based on research from observing haircuts in barbershops and salons in Cincinnati and interviews with stylists identifying wishes and pain points in the hair cutting process.

The current market for hair clippers, both professional and at-home, is dominated by 3 brands: Andis, Wahl and Conair. The space is in general saturated with complex surfacing and utilitarian aesthetics.

Initial sketching explored the possibility of integrating a removable battery, and a variety of forms ranging from complex and organic to simple and geometric. Sketches also explored the possibility of moving the blade to the interior of the clippers.

Prints and foam models were made throughout the process to test ergonomics, an important consideration for a tool that is used by stylists the entire day. The final model was weighted accurately to assess feasibility of including more battery cells.

The final design features a swappable battery pack, so stylists always have a spare in case of dead clippers. The set also includes an induction charging mat to maximize charging between uses without requiring the stylist to plug anything in: they can just toss the clippers down on their workstation. The final feature of the design is an enclosed blade, which allows for a gapless body to make cleaning quicker and easier.

The clippers are designed with unobtrusive form language, allowing them to fit in in a variety of hair cutting environments — from rockabilly barbershop to refined salon.