Here are the 4 critical elements to design the best fashion ecommerce websites. They include graphic design, copywriting, content creation and simple UX. Fashion is an emotionally driven purchase and it is challenging to create a fully engaging online brand experience with limited sensory elements.To sell fashion successfully online, it takes differentiated product and a strong brand identity. The customer must be emotionally engaged with the brand from a combination of imagery, copywriting, information and entertainment, as well as a simple user experience.

1. Dix&Pond Stephanie Bernier
How to Create a
Great Fashion
Website
B R A N D I N G & M A R K E T I N G
4 key design elements
of the best fashion
websites & brand
experience

2. It is a crowded space. The Internet has
become a massive shopping bazaar and so increasingly
hard for fashion brands to gain traction. Fashion is also
highly discretionary and takes a lot more finesse than
selling commodity products.
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3. E-commerce has exploded.
The outsized growth in e-commerce is due to the
significant advantages of online shopping.
It’s always open, has no lines, offers endless
choices and makes bargain hunting and choosing
easier. One can search for simple things, like
“white shirt” and immediately net out an entire
site’s selection.
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4. Websites are 2D.
On the downside, websites are
two-dimensional. They lack the
tactile sense of touch, sight,
smell and sound.
There is a lack of trust,
because of the inability to see
and try on the merchandise.
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SEPHORA

5. Fashion is emotional.
Fashion is an emotionally
driven purchase and it is
challenging to create a fully
engaging brand experience
with limited sensory elements.
To sell fashion successfully
online, it takes differentiated
product and a strong brand
identity.
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6. There are 4 key elements to
a design a great fashion
website.
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7. #1
Create a rich
visual personality.
Customers for apparel and
accessories span a wide
spectrum, from fashion
obsessives to commodity
shoppers. They respond to
different visual platforms.
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ANTHROPOLOGIE

8. The elements of fonts,
color, images and layout
combine to tell a unique
visual story about the
brand.
This is the visual
merchandising of
e-commerce.
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RALPH LAUREN

9. A website has to “say”
something clearly to the
viewer to define the brand,
so they can relate and know
what to expect.
For instance, is this product
playful and preppy or hip
and edgy? It tells them if
they have gone into the
right site.
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VINEYARD VINES

10. Nordstrom targets a fashion-obsessed crowd. The
modern look of their image driven site successfully
speaks to their upscale audience.
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11. Zappos with its royal blue navigation bars and basic
fonts, appeals to average consumers looking for depth
of assortment, with a non-intimidating approach.
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12. Color is a key emotional trigger for any brand.
Net-a-Porter the site for sophisticated, designer
fashion, is appropriately modern and black.
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13. The Kate Spade brand is whimsical and colorful.
Their site reflects the essence of their playful brand.
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14. #2
Speak with a
unique voice.
The content is the written voice
of the brand and the copywriter
is a story-teller, a painter of a
picture. How do you sell
fragrance when a consumer
can’t smell it? The idea is to
evoke impulses, emotions and
ideas with copy and images.
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TACORI

15. Copywriters create
fantasies, possibilities and
attributes that may not
really exist, to drive sales.
It plays to our basic human
desires.
Storytelling is “benefits”.
It comes from active and
colorful language and
compelling images.
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16. Copy is a combination of
storytelling and informative
details. Informing is the
“features” of the product
and terms to make the sale.
After the customer
emotionally responds to a
story, they then evaluate
secondary considerations
like sizing, price, guarantees,
shipping policies, etc.
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17. Website traffic is driven by keywords, but engaging
copy does the job of creating a brand personality.
Great copy is crafted with both. Calypso St. Barth
does an excellent job telling the product stories with
emotionally charged copy.
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18. #3
Entertain &
engage viewers.
Adding social media, a blog,
“must-have” suggestions, “look-
books” or trend information to
your site adds valuable searchable
content, drives traffic and provides
an element of entertainment and
fashion authority to the site.
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19. In addition to blogs, companies have added styling
questionnaires, interactive games, etc. to engage
consumers. Tory Burch’s blog gives authority to the
brand. Marketing has become interactive, no longer
a one-way conversation.
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20. #4
Provide a simple &
fast user experience.
E-commerce customers are busy
people bombarded with choices.
Websites are visited with a
purpose in mind, the consumer
starts the dialogue. They have
little patience for tricky Flash sites
and complex navigation.
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ANN TAYLOR

21. The best e-commerce sites
help viewers accomplish
their goals simply and
quickly.
Keeping some expected
conventions to the
navigation and minimizing
slow features will lower your
bounce rate and convert
more customers.
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SOLUDOS

22. J Crew makes the online buying process simple,
quick and consistently predictable.
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23. The best fashion websites follow these
4 elements to create a great brand and
user experience:
• Create a visual personality.
• Speak with a unique voice.
• Entertain and engage.
• Provide a simple, fast user experience.
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CONTACT US
Dix & Pond Consulting is a Boston-based consulting company.
We do creative and strategic product development, branding and
business consulting.
Clients are apparel, footwear, retail & consumer products companies.
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