New Life Leatherworks

Project Description:

I was connected with Michael, a college student looking to start a business making and selling leather goods online. He hired me to create a professional website that would showcase his products and simplify the buying experience.

Deliverables: Wireframes, Brand Guide, Hi-Fi Mockups

Tools: Figma, Photoshop, Squarespace

Design

I met with Michael to discuss his vision for the website and looked at other ecommerce sites that aligned with his goals. I then created multiple wireframes that focused on what he thought was important.

Tell his story in a meaningful way
Showcase his products through high quality images
Simple process from navigating the site through checkout

Goals:

Branding

Michael has a beautiful story behind the name of his business, and I wanted to honor that in my brand proposal. While brainstorming a brand identity, I thought about qualities that could connect with the merchandise, as well as my client’s idea of a "new life.”

In the end, I tried to capture feelings of freedom, leather, and nature.

Font choices for product. Roboto Slab and Roboto

Photography

I was inspired by the quality of images I saw on competitor’s sites from my competitive analysis. For an online store, high-quality images are essential to convince visitors to make a purchase.

Photography is one of my hobbies, so I worked with Michael to set up a photo studio in my parent’s basement where I could take pictures of his physical products to use in the website.

Final Product

I added the colors, fonts, and pictures to the wireframes to show Michael a first look at what his finished site would look like.

At this stage, it took a few more meetings with Michael to make small changes and update his Squarespace site to match.

Mobile and Desktop Images of the Product Detail Page

What I learned

In the end, I created a design that both Michael and I are happy with. I learned to create multiple options for my client to choose from, and to consult them before making a decision for the business.

This was my first step into the e-commerce world, and I learned a lot about what can make a business successful on the web.

New Life Leatherworks is live! Click here if you’re in the market for a new wallet or want to learn more about Michael’s journey.