The New Classic features a simpler set of interactions, aimed at reducing the risk of blade handling accidents and making it easier to keep track of used blades for safe disposal later on.
This is the result of my final year client project at uni, in collaboration with Kingfisher.
Kingfisher’s brief was to design a safer tool. But the tradespeople I surveyed prioritised durability, reliability and simplicity. So, I reframed the challenge: improve blade handling without compromising what they valued in a knife.
My hands-on and desk research showed that changing and storing blades involved awkward handling, difficult insertion and nowhere to separate used blades.
I dismantled 10+ utility knives to understand how their mechanisms contributed to those frustrations and where a different interaction might be possible.
I explored how the familiar slider could release the blade by extending it beyond the normal cutting position, which also helps with exposing the blade’s non-cutting upper edge for handling.
I wanted to inspire Kingfisher to update their Magnusson brand by proposing a reduced plastic packaging design and a stronger visual impression.
