jiyoun kim designs minimalist hair curler for chahong cosmetics company

jiyoun kim studio has teamed up with chahong, south korea’s leading cosmetics company, to introduce a volume curler as the brand’s first-ever hairstyling device. seeking to reflect what the company values most — genuine care and purity — the product is developed to be simple and practical, designed with a hairstylists’ perspective in mind. 

all images courtesy of jiyoun kim studio 

to create chahong’s volume curler, jiyoun kim went over every step of the design process, including the actual device design, the marketing strategy, and even the direction of a product photoshoot. since the market features several experienced competitors, the studio had to come up with a unique concept for the curler, communicating the message that it is a practical hairstyling tool that prioritizes the beautification of the users.

jiyoun kim studio minimized visual elements in order to focus on the user, while revealing some of the brand’s core attributes, like purity. the barrel of the volume curler is made of titanium plating to deliver heat effectively and provide a smooth metallic texture. buttons, handles and screws were kept to a minimum, thus emphasizing the sleek, minimalist style of the curling device. 

the omission of excessive buttons also intends to express the simplest physical form of the material, and its pure state when touched by the human hand. the attachments are made with a magnetic hook structure, enhancing emotional satisfaction during the detachment process. moreover, a quilted pouch and a wire tag made of alcantara material provide a convenient storage method.

in packaging, non-recyclable materials such as vinyl or eva form were thoroughly excluded, and the post-processing was minimized, emphasizing chahong’s support for environmentally friendly approaches. for every detail’s complete optimization, from the button position and size to the rotating body’s RPM, many of chahong’s hairstyling experts conducted user testing. in addition, various types of prototypes were developed to implement the optimal grip. 

project info: 

project: chahong volume curler
design studio: jiyoun kim studio
design team: jiyoun kim, dokyoung lee, jaehyuk lim
client: chahong

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edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom