Sierra
Jewellery store rebrand, giving users an easy and familiar way to shop their next purchase.
Overview
To transform Sierra Jewellery from an Etsy-based startup into a recognised, independent luxury brand with a robust digital presence, positioning it as a leader in ethical, artisanal jewellery in the UK market.
Role: UI Design
Responsive visual web design, high-fidelity prototyping, design system, brand style guide, logo & packaging design
Team
Natalie Waites (solo project)
Design Toolkit
Figma, FigJam, Zoom, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
Success Metrics
Increase direct sales by 50% within 6 months
Customer retention rate of 60% within one year
3% conversion rate within 6 months
Achieve 40% brand recognition among target audience within the first year
The Brief
Create a cohesive branding strategy to establish Sierra Jewellery as a standalone luxury brand, moving beyond the Etsy marketplace. To fulfil this brief I met with the client and filled out the lean canvas together, so that I could understand the business and have the client think about how the business's strategy fits with the design goals.
Understanding the business: Lean Canvas
How can I help?: Agreeing the deliverables brainstorm
We agreed on a new brand identity (including style guide and design system), responsive e-commerce landing page with components to design future pages and packaging design.
Inspiration
I conducted thorough competitor research to gain a clear understanding of the desired visual direction. To guide my process and ensure cohesive deliverables, I created a mood board. This visual tool helped inform the development of the landing page design, branding elements, and UI design system.
Design System & Brand Style Guide
I originally thought about having red and green as the primary colours for the brand but when putting this into the web design, the visuals became too busy and didn’t give the elegant feel we were going for. This final design system and brand style guide lends itself more to the luxury brand.
Colour Palette
Our colour palette embodies the essence of Sierra Jewellery, reflecting our commitment to timeless elegance and British heritage. We've chosen a sophisticated array of hues that evoke the rich traditions of fine jewellery while embracing modern sensibilities.
Typography
Sierra Jewellery's font selection marries tradition with modernity:
Snell Roundhand: Our primary display font, embodies classic elegance. Its flowing, calligraphic style evokes the artistry of hand-engraved jewelry, emphasizing our commitment to craftsmanship and sophistication.
Montserrat: Our secondary font, provides a contemporary balance. This clean, geometric sans-serif ensures readability and versatility across various applications, representing our brand's modern sensibilities.
Logo Set
The Sierra Jewellery logo embodies elegance and craftsmanship. The serif font in ruby red evokes a sense of timeless sophistication, while the pendant hanging from the curve of the "S" cleverly integrates our core product into our brand mark. This primary logo is complemented by a simplified secondary version and a distinctive pendant signifier, creating a versatile and cohesive visual identity that represents our commitment to classic beauty and attention to detail.
Initial Landing Page Design & Iterations
The client was keen on highlighting individual products as the user hovers over them, to encourage conversion. I experimented with how this could look. However when we A/B tested it, users seemed to prefer the more simple design for the product cards. Which would correspond with Jakob's Law about consistency and standards; noted in the 10 usability heuristics.
There were multiple versions of the design. I'm a fan of testing throughout the design process and getting feedback on certain elements of the design to allow natural pivots towards a more user-friendly experience.
Final Landing Page Design (Responsive)
The page seamlessly guides users through carefully positioned product imagery and clear calls-to-action. Allowing users to navigate the site with ease, while maintaining a focus on the artisanal quality. The result is an engaging, responsive design that elevates Sierra Jewellery from its Etsy origins to a premium digital presence.
Retrospective
✅ What went well
I was happy with the clear visual language achieved and the design process it took to get there.
The client was impressed with the result and thought it really showed the luxury feel they were looking for.
Having that initial open communication with the client was essential on this project, ensuring the correct deliverables were agreed.
🛠️ What could be improved
Unfortunately the client is yet to make the designs "live". I would have liked to see it in the real world and make edits based on user feedback.
I would have liked to arrange a photoshoot of the clients' actual product rather than use stock imagery. It would have made the final design a lot more cohesive.
