Between youth culture and high fashion lies the redesign of the namesake brand by Austrian designer Christoph Rumpf. The goal of the redesign was to close the visual and functional gap between the Instagram page and the shop. Through detailed analysis of personas, user journeys, and user stories, a usage concept was developed that prioritizes the needs of customers and communicates a clear brand identity.
2024
Hypermedia
The starting point of the redesign was both Christoph Rumpf’s Instagram presence and his online shop. A clear contrast in visual quality became apparent: while the Instagram page stood out through high-quality product and editorial imagery, the online shop appeared comparatively underdeveloped. Due to a lack of information, the shop often felt untrustworthy and unprofessional, which in turn made the high price point seem unjustified. The brand’s ethos was barely reflected in the shop’s design, resulting in an unclear and weakly communicated brand identity.
The fusion of youth culture and high fashion is communicated through unconventional design strategies. A bold navigation element that remains permanently centered within the viewport breaks with established conventions and emphasizes the brand’s youthful, confident character. Scribbles and paper clips are used to create a sense of familiarity, evoking the feeling of personally marking products in a catalogue. At the same time, these elements reference model boards commonly found backstage at fashion runways, bridging spontaneity and the creative processes of high fashion.
At the outset, requirements and objectives were defined through user interviews, the development of personas, and a comparative analysis of similar websites. The insights gathered from these interviews, combined with mapped user journeys and user stories, documented the needs and experiences of the target audience and informed the development of a usage concept that enabled the prioritization of key features. Particular emphasis was placed on expanding product information to more clearly communicate and justify the premium price point.
Drawing on the usage concept, user journeys, and user stories, wireframes were produced to visualize the structural layout and fundamental interface design. Interaction and navigation flows were subsequently tested to refine and optimize the overall user experience.
