White Stuff is a well-established retail fashion company renowned for its premium-quality clothing and excellent customer service. Historically catering to an older demographic, the brand is gradually shifting its focus to attract a younger audience aged 30 and above. With a commitment to organic and sustainable sourcing, White Stuff appeals to consumers who prioritise quality over quantity.
The main challenge was to develop a mobile app that offered a seamless and personalised shopping experience without overwhelming users with unnecessary complexities. As White Stuff's audience includes older generations, the app needed to be intuitive and easy to navigate while providing value through personalisation.
Additionally, it was crucial to differentiate the app from the existing website while staying true to the brand's visual identity and building trust among users.
Drawing on extensive research gathered from customers and staff at my local White Stuff store, I identified a key user need: the desire for a hassle-free shopping experience. To address this, I designed a feature that allowed users to create personalised shopping accounts. This feature enabled users to save preferences such as size, fit, and style, ensuring that they only saw relevant products. By selecting a pre-configured account, users could shop confidently without the need to repeatedly filter options.
In line with the brand's aesthetics, I adhered to White Stuff's existing visual style while incorporating modern UI principles like grids, spacing, and hierarchy. This ensured a cohesive look and feel across all platforms, fostering trust and familiarity.
This project significantly contributed to my personal development as a UX/UI designer. It allowed me to apply my newly acquired skills in a real-world context, emphasising the importance of user research and data-driven design. The feedback from staff and select customers was overwhelmingly positive, validating my approach and reinforcing the potential impact of my design.
The primary challenge was the lack of real users and concrete guidelines, typical of passion projects. Despite this, I leveraged available resources effectively to create a solution that addressed a genuine need. Reflecting on the project, I would have liked to develop a fully functional prototype with more complex features and thorough testing. This would have provided deeper insights and potentially uncovered additional opportunities for improvement.
This case study highlights the importance of understanding user needs, maintaining brand consistency, and continuously refining design through feedback and testing. It stands as a testament to the value of passion projects in personal and professional growth.
