Mercer Times

Matt Gabe, a 2005 graduate of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), has designed a new Hot Wheels car known as the Kei Swap. This creation is a nod to the 1990s and showcases Gabe's passion for cars and design. Since joining Hot Wheels in 2009, Gabe has been responsible for designing packaging for both large-scale playsets and individual die-cast cars.

Gabe's work on the Kei Swap was recognized at the 38th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention in Los Angeles, where he was honored as a guest. He shared insights into his creative process and his journey from being a graphic design major at TCNJ to becoming a lead packaging designer at Hot Wheels.

"I usually do the artwork for HW packages, but the design team knows that I’m a bit of a car guy," said Gabe. "The team wanted to do a small ’90s Japanese van and asked if I would be interested creating an original Hot Wheel."

Gabe collaborated with the design and sculpting teams to bring his vision to life, choosing '90s pop art as the theme for his mini-collection called "Art Cars." The final product features unique details such as extra tires, a boombox with Gabe's initials, and a BMX bike inside.

"The process was a lot of things. Exciting, stressful, but mostly very fun," he noted about developing the Kei Swap. After completing various stages of approval and production, Gabe also took on designing its package.

Reflecting on his time at TCNJ, Gabe credited professors Chung Sum “Fanky” Chak and Anita Allyn with providing him foundational skills in graphic design. His hands-on experience working as an on-campus graphic designer further prepared him for his career.

"My professors, classmates, and Holman Hall were the glue that held it all together," he stated.