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Paul Smith
A British fashion icon with an unmistakable point of view, playful, eclectic and endlessly curious. Paul Smith has been finding inspiration in the everyday since 1970, and turning it into something extraordinary.
Partners
- Centra
- Klaviyo
- Voyado
- Storyblok
- Vercel
- Ingrid
- Antavo
Challenge
Paul Smith was undergoing a period of internal strategic change, reassessing the customer profiles the brand wanted to serve across product, retail and marketing.
The existing site, while distinctive, wasn't fully reflecting the more mature, commercially focused direction the brand was moving in. Certain customer profiles felt underserved, and the digital experience needed to evolve to meet them without losing the character that makes Paul Smith so unique.
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Our Approach
We began with a thorough immersion phase, bringing a fresh design perspective to the project from the outset. Our new designer visited stores, spent time with the in-store design team, and drew inspiration from the inventive ways the brand brings its character to life in physical retail.
This was complemented by customer research and session recording analysis to understand what was genuinely working and where the experience was falling short. The result was a clear, evidence-led picture of what needed to change and what deserved to be carried forward.The Result
The redesigned site strikes a balance that is difficult to get right, commercially focused and easy to navigate for first-time visitors, while remaining unmistakably Paul Smith for those who know and love the brand. Hidden easter eggs and subtle brand details reward the curious, while the core shopping experience works harder than ever to convert. Quirky and considered, in equal measure.
Maintaining the core elements of the visual identity, including typography, colour and the iconic stripe, we simplified layouts into more immersive, editorial compositions. The playful spirit of the brand found a new home in the details, with easter eggs woven throughout the experience, from the header to the footer, rewarding those who take the time to look.
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We made the core shopping journeys more optimised, enlarging image assets, simplifying product cards, cleaning up the menu to feel less cluttered and more premium.
Taking inspiration from an area in Paul Smith stores we created a ‘messy space’ on the homepage where customers can read the latest news and articles and experience the world of Paul Smith on a deeper level.
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Search was reimagined into an immersive full page experience inspired by app designs, where customers can get different types of inspiration, browse all results and filter without having to visit a separate page.
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We took a more restrained approach to colour across the site, reserving it to highlight key interactive elements instead. A single consistent colour now guides customers through the add to bag journey, bringing clarity and purpose to every interaction.
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The product page received particular attention. Customer research and session analysis revealed that key information buried within expandable panels was being consistently overlooked.
We responded by bringing critical details to the surface, and elevating size and fit into a dedicated standalone component giving shoppers the confidence they need to make a decision without having to go looking for it.
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Alongside the redesign, we delivered a suite of new features including interactive and immersive shopping guides. We defined a consistent framework for how collaborations and takeovers could be expressed across the site, and established clear guidelines for promotions and sale messaging giving the internal team the tools and structure to move quickly and consistently going forward.
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A site that has grown with the brand, more refined, more focused, and more commercial, without ever losing the curiosity and character that makes Paul Smith impossible to ignore.
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