Chef'n has a diverse portfolio of unique kitchen tools and gadgets. However, they do not blend together to create a cohesive visual brand language (VBL). Lifetime Brands wanted to take Chef'n's best selling products and refresh their VBL and sell to Walmart. I spearheaded a campaign to help create the initial VBL and spread it across what ultimately turned into 63 tools and gadgets. My role was to develop the physical creative direction, develop concepts through sketches, create 3D in SolidWorks, and developing items through the quoting phase.
TOP SELLERS ENTERING PROJECT
INSPIRATION AUDIT
Sculpted Forms
Cloudy / Soft Forms
Cute / Playful Forms
CMF
After narrowing down our source images, Midjourney was utilized to combine those images with the respective Chef'n products, such as the Spatula, and add prompts to discover new forms. We were able to quickly run variations based on selected output images, and use those as new source files to create new ideas.
With these new forms, I was able to apply the contours quickly to the lemon squeezer in order to finalize which direction we wanted to go in.
After creating 3D iterations of the handles, we decided on creating a more "squished" end profile for the handled items. We also accelerated the bone line to produce a more refined transition from the tail end to middle of the handle.
To help tie these bones line in the lemon squeezer and other gadgets, the decision was made to create a line of tools consisting of a Basting Spoon, Turner, Slotted Turner, Short Turner, Tongs, and Basting Brush. Quick exploratory sketches were created to decided on overall shape and proportion before moving to 3D and what would expand to multiples of other items such as graters, whisks, choppers and other gadgets.
