APPLIANCE DESIGN

Princess is one of the leading home appliance brands in Northern Europe. With a strong focus on fun cooking concepts to spend time around with family and friends. The first baking plate, to be used on the dining table, was developed and introduced by Princess in 1994. Now 25 years later, nearly every European home has such a baking plate.

Client

Princess Homewares, Netherlands

Services

Research, Design strategy, Concept development

COPYCATS

During those years, many competitors introduced similar products. Consequently, these baking plates became a commodity with most competitors only focusing on low prices. During this race to the bottom, product features were stripped, low-quality materials used and products reduced in size. The goal of the Princess Elypse Pure collection was to set a new standard of quality, for which ManGo was approached.

ADDED VALUE THROUGH DESIGN

The focus was to implement natural materials, quality finishes and ease of use in a well-sized design. Leading to a superior product, but with increased manufacturing costs. No problem for us, as we very much prefer to work on timeless products that will be used for decades to come, rather than short-lived, unsustainable items. It is important, however, that such long-lasting products look the part and stand out from the competition.

SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN

A timeless, Scandinavian inspired design was desired to raise this collection above the competition of “squares”. Scandinavian design follows soft natural lines, building on an oval form factor in design sessions, product requirements were integrated as unobtrusive features in a well-balanced design. Elevating the baking plate to avoid heat damage, resulted in the wooden feet. The need for a fat drip pan gave reason for the concave-shaped “belly”.