Dead Luxe
Luxury Fashion E-commerce with Mortality Aesthetics
[ Portfolio Demo ]
Note: This is a fictional design demonstration created to showcase design capabilities. No real metrics, business outcomes, or commercial results are implied or claimed.
Project Overview
Dead Luxe is a luxury fashion e-commerce platform that explores the liminal space between opulence and decay. The brand embraces mortality aesthetics through meticulously crafted garments that honor the passage of time.
The website design creates an immersive digital experience that feels like entering a gothic cathedral of fashion, balancing haunting beauty with intuitive shopping pathways.
Project Goals
- Create an immersive digital experience that evokes walking into a time-worn atelier
- Make product exploration feel like an archaeological discovery through narrative-driven presentation
- Build credibility with fashion-forward clients through sophisticated, restrained design
- Encourage deeper brand connection through philosophical manifesto and conceptual lookbooks
Design Process
Research & Discovery
Conducted extensive research into mourning attire history, memento mori aesthetics, and luxury shopping behaviors to identify opportunities for an authentic yet accessible mortality-inspired experience.
Visual Language
Developed a sophisticated, somber visual system:
- Color Palette:
#0a0a0a #f4f2ed #b39156 #591c29 #2a1e26
- Typography: Playfair Display for headings, Montserrat for body text
- Custom product photography emphasizing texture, patina, and the beauty of imperfection
Technical Implementation
Built with clean, semantic code:
- Semantic HTML with accessibility focus
- CSS variables for consistent theming
- Strategic JavaScript for product modal interactions
- Performance optimization for high-resolution imagery
Key Features
Narrative Product Presentation
Memento Mori Blazer
A garment of remembrance and restraint, embracing structured silhouettes with an undercurrent of beautiful decay.
Product descriptions that read like poetic obituaries, hover animations that reveal details gradually, and a "Shop Now" interaction that feels like turning the page of an ancient tome.
Philosophical Manifesto
"We don't create fashion. We orchestrate beautiful tragedy."
A deeply conceptual brand philosophy section that positions garments as vessels for memory and containers for experience, establishing Dead Luxe as a thoughtful presence in the fashion landscape.
Curated Collection Organization
EXHUMATION: AW25
Collection organization that feels like exploring an exhibition, with each category representing different aspects of the brand's meditation on impermanence.
Visual Storytelling
A horizontal scrolling lookbook that unfolds like a Victorian photographic sequence, complemented by journal entries exploring the intersection of fashion, mortality, and beauty.
Design Challenges
Balancing Darkness & Desirability
Creating a shopping experience that celebrates decay and impermanence while maintaining the aspirational quality necessary for luxury retail, achieved through strategic contrast and material celebration.
Communicating Craftsmanship Digitally
Helping users appreciate the meticulous details and artisanal qualities of each piece through detailed product features focusing on material provenance, hand-finishing techniques, and hidden details.
Creating Elegance in Darkness
Developing a visual system that feels sophisticated rather than gothic costume, through careful typography, restrained color application, and emphasis on texture over obvious symbolism.
User Experience
Shopping Journey Flow
A carefully crafted user journey that begins with brand immersion and leads naturally to product discovery, educating users on the brand philosophy while guiding them toward meaningful acquisitions.
Typography System
The pairing of the elegant, historic Playfair Display for headlines with the clean, architectural Montserrat for body text creates an atmosphere of timeless sophistication while maintaining excellent legibility.
Technical Implementation
Special attention was given to creating subtle interaction effects through carefully crafted CSS.
.btn::after {
content: '';
position: absolute;
bottom: 0;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 0;
background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
transition: height var(--transition-medium);
z-index: -1;
}
.btn:hover::after {
height: 100%;
}Implementation Details
Product Modal Experience
Developed a sophisticated product modal system to:
- Present products in a gallery-like context
- Provide detailed material and construction information
- Create a sense of reverence around each piece
Atmospheric Animation Touches
Implemented subtle animations to:
- Add gentle hover interactions for product discovery
- Create fluid transitions between site sections
- Provide tactile feedback for interaction elements
Responsive Design System
Created a comprehensive responsive approach featuring:
- Gracefully adapting layouts for all device sizes
- Maintaining the somber atmosphere across platforms
- Preserving elegant typography at all scales
Technical Achievement
Key Takeaways
Narrative-First Design
E-commerce experiences for conceptual fashion must prioritize storytelling and brand philosophy to create meaningful connections with design-conscious audiences.
Atmospheric Balance
The most effective luxury interfaces balance atmospheric immersion with intuitive navigation to create shopping experiences that feel like discovering treasures rather than merely browsing products.
Material Authenticity
For specialized aesthetics like mortality-inspired fashion, emphasizing material qualities, craftsmanship details, and philosophical underpinnings enhances the conceptual integrity of the experience.