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Even though it’s only been part of the range since 2018, you have the impression that the HEXAGON series is fully part of the MÜHLE line and is already becoming something of a classic. An interview with Mark Braun and Christian and Andreas Müller about the origins of the product and its role in the range.
MÜHLE stands for cutting-edge shaving culture and a high standard of quality – having a modern impact here as a designer is a particular challenge. How can I manage to come up with a contemporary design that isn’t short-lived and which underscores this DNA? Creating a modern classic was the objective.
The existing MÜHLE brand design plays a major role in the way in which our products are designed. The products and their design have a history that we respect. On the other hand, we shouldn’t stand still. It’s very important to us in this regard that our product design is contemporary while also having the potential to become a classic. A very catchy product design often quickly loses its appeal. Mark Braun aims to develop products that stand the test of time. His products often exude simplicity but are sophisticated upon closer inspection. Moreover, his unbiased viewpoint from the outside was most helpful. So working with him was a particularly enriching experience.
The initial idea occurred to me when studying hand tools of diverse kinds, and also as a result of research at MÜHLE’s very own museum and historical archive. I was on the lookout for memorable shapes that fit well in your hand without being exaggerated ergonomically speaking. Ultimately, the inspiration came from an archetypal pencil – this hexagonal shape is simply perfect for fine and precise work.
Tradition meets design, durability meets zeitgeist. These are the dualities that reinforce one another here. HEXAGON is pure in formal terms, with a memorable appearance at first sight, yet it is subtle in many different ways on closer inspection. If you discover the coordinates engraved in it, they’re not only reminiscent of specifications for tools, but are also the coordinates for MÜHLE’s location itself. Figuratively speaking, this is a reference to the brand’s DNA, which brings together values such as quality with performance and classics with zeitgeist under one roof.
HEXAGON clearly stands out from the rest of the MÜHLE range. After all, the aim was also to try something new. A number of customers were certainly surprised, but the feedback has been very positive overall. Moreover, we’ve been able to reach many new customers with the product.
Supposedly simple products with larger surfaces are much more difficult to manufacture than products with multiple components. This is also true of HEXAGON. Creating a homogenous surface free of defects is therefore the biggest challenge. It took quite a bit of time until the process became established. What’s more, the fine edges and engravings require a great deal of attention during production.
We wanted to make a consistent statement. The classic safety razor is totally convincing in terms of performance, avoids waste and is, in a way, gender-neutral. Moreover, the design, which is, formally speaking, only a safety razor, was a genuine ambassador for the design idea of combining tradition with zeitgeist.
