In 2016, Paul Mitchell, a professional hair care brand, wanted to create a new generation of pro tools including a hairdryer and flat iron. These products are targeted towards commercially professional hair stylists and everyday consumers. They reached out to us to help bring their vision to life.

First, we disassembled other products to help determine the required component sizes and understand their placement. We explored 6 different pairs of tools in our first design phase, and Paul Mitchell chose 2 concepts for refinement. In our next phase, we refined each concept through CAD, rendering and 3D printed prototypes for ergonomic tests. In our final phase, we visited the overseas manufacturer to resolve potential issues and finalize the chosen concept.

Inspired by wind and the movement of hair being styled, we created Neuro, Paul Mitchell’s next generation of professional hair styling tools. The overall forms are recognizable as a hair dryer and flat iron, but they have surface details that introduce movement and improve ergonomic control.

Each product has additional features like backlit touchscreens, removable magnetic filters and customized cord hook details. The hairdryer also includes 2 custom designed attachments. Custom retail secondary packaging was also designed to mimic the new tool’s design language. Designed in collaboration with Karim Rashid Studio.

Available for purchase on Paul Mitchell.