John Howrey
Design Leader
ContactCURRENTLY DigitalOcean
PREVIOUSLY SCAD
IBM
Skeptic
Philographica
Selbert Perkins Design
CASE STUDIES
Set Users Up for Success
Empowerment by Design
Driving Growth Through Design
All the World’s a Map
Luxury Reimagined
ABOUT Who I Am, What I Build
Philosophy of Leadership
wRITINGS We Don’t Need Another Framework
Design Leadership Is Cultural Leadership
Designers Should Own the Narrative
Speed and Substance Can Coexist
Collaboration Is the Work
Design as Stewardship of Experience

Luxury Reimagined Transforming Joanna Czech’s Online Presence

Joanna Czech’s e-commerce platform struggled to reflect her status as a luxury brand. The grayscale, functional design failed to capture her high-end aesthetic, limiting user engagement and holding back business growth. The challenge was to elevate her digital presence to match her celebrity reputation while driving significant revenue growth.


APPROACHI led a comprehensive digital transformation rooted in strategic design and collaboration. My approach included:

  • Creative Direction: Redefining the brand’s digital aesthetic to exude luxury and exclusivity.
  • User-Centered Design: Conducting research to craft an intuitive and visually engaging user experience.
  • Content Strategy: Aligning website content with Joanna’s successful social media presence to ensure a seamless journey from click to purchase.
  • Scalable Framework: Designing with scalability in mind to support rapid business growth.
 SOLUTION The redesigned e-commerce platform reimagined luxury through an accessible yet exclusive lens. Key enhancements included:
  • A narrative-driven interface that transformed every interaction into an extension of Joanna’s expertise.
  • Sophisticated visual design leveraging fundamental principles like point, line, and plane to evoke elegance and simplicity.
  • Integrated social media strategies to drive traffic and create a cohesive brand ecosystem.
  • Streamlined navigation and purchasing flows to enhance user engagement and conversion rates.
IMPACT
The transformation delivered remarkable business results:
  • Increased annual revenue from $300K to $5M in three years.
  • Elevated Joanna Czech’s brand perception as a leader in luxury skincare.
  • Improved user satisfaction, as evidenced by higher engagement metrics and repeat customers.

TAKEAWAYSThis project highlighted the transformative power of design in bridging business goals with user aspirations. By combining visual storytelling, strategic alignment, and intuitive design, we not only redefined a luxury brand’s digital presence but also demonstrated how thoughtful design can drive profound business growth and deepen audience connection.

CLIENT Joanna Czech
MY ROLECreative Direction
Design Production
Content Strategy
Project Management
Process Consultation
TAGSInformation Architecture
User Research
Project Management
Digital Asset Production
Design Renovation
Business Turn Around
E-Comm
SECTOR Beauty
Lifestyle
Ecommerce
DISCIPLINES UX/UI Design
Product Strategy
Content Strategy
COLLABORATORS Business Owners
Front-End Engineers
Public Relations,
Writers
Photographers