Research-led UX strategy and conversion optimisation for a Germany-based streetwear brand — turning a standard Shopify storefront into a bold, brand-authentic digital commerce experience that performs as well as it looks.
Role
Senior Product Designer
Scope
Product Strategy, UX Research, E-commerce Design, Mobile-First CRO
Platform
Shopify · Web · Mobile
01 — Challenge
VACID is a Germany-based streetwear brand built around individuality, creativity, and a bold rebellious identity. But the existing digital experience didn't match any of that. The site neither communicated the brand's attitude nor provided a frictionless journey for customers exploring and purchasing products.
The challenge wasn't simply to redesign a website visually. It was to understand the relationship between business goals, customer behaviour, and real data — then use that understanding to create a scalable e-commerce experience that strengthened the brand, improved product discovery, and increased conversion opportunities. I led the project end-to-end: from discovery and UX strategy to information architecture, CRO, responsive design, and developer collaboration.
VACID's digital presence failed to communicate the same confidence and attitude embodied in its products — eroding trust at the very first touchpoint.
Navigation structure, categorisation, and filtering were not aligned with how customers actually shop — causing unnecessary drop-off before the product page.
With a significant share of traffic coming from mobile, poor thumb ergonomics and content hierarchy were directly costing conversions on the primary device.
Design decisions had been made in isolation from conversion data — no clear calls-to-action, unclear trust signals, and a checkout path that added unnecessary cognitive load.
02 — Discovery
Before defining any solution, I ran a comprehensive discovery phase combining quantitative behavioural analysis with qualitative customer research. Quantitative data through Google Analytics, heatmaps, click tracking, and funnel analysis showed me what was happening: where users dropped off, what they ignored, and where friction was highest.
But data can only tell you what — not why. I ran customer interviews, competitor analysis, and heuristic evaluations to understand users' motivations, mental models, and emotional expectations from a premium streetwear brand. One finding stood out immediately: the mobile experience was critically underinvested relative to where the traffic actually was. That shaped every decision that followed.
03 — Strategy
By synthesising qualitative and quantitative insights, I developed a strategic roadmap focused on three interconnected areas. First: strengthening the brand experience — introducing immersive storytelling, expressive visual hierarchy, and editorial-inspired layouts that matched VACID's identity. Second: redesigning the information architecture — a new sitemap and navigation strategy that matched customers' mental models with cleaner categorisation, improved filtering, and better placement of featured collections.
Third, and running through every decision: conversion rate optimisation. Every layout choice, every CTA placement, every content hierarchy decision was evaluated against its ability to reduce friction and support conversion. The strategic shift was moving VACID from a catalogue to a commerce destination — where browsing feels intentional and the path to purchase is clear.
04 — Design
Mobile was treated as the primary commerce experience — not a scaled-down version of desktop. The design prioritised thumb-friendly interactions, simplified navigation, faster access to products, and optimised imagery. Every decision was weighed against its impact on mobile conversion before being adapted for larger screens.
The desktop experience used the additional space to create richer editorial moments — larger visual storytelling, deeper product exploration, and a premium brand atmosphere that felt consistent with VACID's identity. Rather than replicating the same interface across devices, each platform was designed around how users actually behaved on it.
05 — Design System & Collaboration
To ensure the work could grow with VACID's expanding product range and content, I built a reusable component library with consistent interaction patterns. I worked closely with developers from the start — not handing over a Figma file at the end. Shopify's capabilities and constraints were factored into design decisions early, so what was designed could actually be built, and built to last.
This collaborative approach meant the final experience stayed aligned with the product vision — and gave the VACID team a scalable foundation they could build future collections on independently.
06 — Outcome
The final experience transformed VACID from a standard Shopify storefront into a strategic digital brand platform. The new experience delivered a stronger connection between the brand and its audience, a clearer and more intuitive shopping journey, improved product discoverability, and a mobile-first, conversion-focused experience built on a scalable Shopify foundation.
Most importantly, the project demonstrated that successful e-commerce products are built by combining research, analytics, strategy, and design — not by making visually appealing interfaces in isolation from business reality.
Key Learning 01
Behavioural data and qualitative research must be used together — data tells you where friction is, research tells you why it exists. Neither alone is sufficient to design the right solution.
Key Learning 02
Mobile-first is not a constraint — it is a clarifying discipline. Designing for mobile first forces you to prioritise what genuinely matters before adding complexity for larger screens.
Key Learning 03
The most important design question is not "How should this look?" but "How should this perform — for users and for the business?" Shifting that conversation is itself a design outcome.
"Paria shifted our thinking entirely — from 'how should the website look?' to 'how should it perform for our customers and our business?' That reframe alone changed everything about how we approached the project."— VACID Brand Team
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