Craft Exploration

Craft Exploration

Craft Exploration

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·

·

UI Niche

UI Niche

UI Niche

·

·

·

Concept

Concept

Concept

Most wine UIs sell products.

This one sells provenance.

Most wine UIs sell products.

This one sells provenance.

Most wine UIs sell products.

This one sells provenance.

A craft exploration in editorial conversion: using typography, scroll pacing, and visual hierarchy as the persuasion mechanism instead of CTAs.

A craft exploration in editorial conversion: using typography, scroll pacing, and visual hierarchy as the persuasion mechanism instead of CTAs.

A craft exploration in editorial conversion: using typography, scroll pacing, and visual hierarchy as the persuasion mechanism instead of CTAs.

Solo Art Direction · Editorial UX · Visual Identity · Discovery Flow

Solo Art Direction · Editorial UX · Visual Identity · Discovery Flow

Solo Art Direction · Editorial UX · Visual Identity · Discovery Flow

View Live Prototype →

View Live Prototype →

View Live Prototype →

01 THE DESIGN THESIS

01 THE DESIGN THESIS

01 THE DESIGN THESIS

The Hypothesis

The Hypothesis

The Hypothesis

Premium wine buyers don't convert because of CTAs.

They convert because of story.

Premium wine buyers don't convert because of CTAs.

They convert because of story.

Premium wine buyers don't convert because of CTAs.

They convert because of story.

Most wine e-commerce leads with product: varietals, price filters, 100-point ratings. Alpha Wine leads with provenance - the region, the winemaker's philosophy, the harvest year. Because a buyer who emotionally invests before comparing prices commits at a different level.

Most wine e-commerce leads with product: varietals, price filters, 100-point ratings. Alpha Wine leads with provenance - the region, the winemaker's philosophy, the harvest year. Because a buyer who emotionally invests before comparing prices commits at a different level.

Most wine e-commerce leads with product: varietals, price filters, 100-point ratings. Alpha Wine leads with provenance - the region, the winemaker's philosophy, the harvest year. Because a buyer who emotionally invests before comparing prices commits at a different level.

THE DESIGN QUESTION

THE DESIGN QUESTION

THE DESIGN QUESTION

Can editorial pacing and visual storytelling carry the persuasion weight that UX conventionally assigns to structured flows and button hierarchies?

Can editorial pacing and visual storytelling carry the persuasion weight that UX conventionally assigns to structured flows and button hierarchies?

Can editorial pacing and visual storytelling carry the persuasion weight that UX conventionally assigns to structured flows and button hierarchies?

WHY THIS MATTERS BEYOND THE NICHE

WHY THIS MATTERS BEYOND THE NICHE

WHY THIS MATTERS BEYOND THE NICHE

Premium e-commerce, luxury goods, and high-consideration purchases share one behavioral pattern: users don't decide with logic, they decide with confidence. Confidence comes from story, not specs. Alpha Wine is a stress test of that hypothesis.

Premium e-commerce, luxury goods, and high-consideration purchases share one behavioral pattern: users don't decide with logic, they decide with confidence. Confidence comes from story, not specs. Alpha Wine is a stress test of that hypothesis.

Premium e-commerce, luxury goods, and high-consideration purchases share one behavioral pattern: users don't decide with logic, they decide with confidence. Confidence comes from story, not specs. Alpha Wine is a stress test of that hypothesis.

02 WHAT I OWNED

02 WHAT I OWNED

02 WHAT I OWNED

What I Owned

What I Owned

What I Owned

Solo art direction and UI design · Concept exploration · 4 weeks

Solo art direction and UI design · Concept exploration · 4 weeks

Solo art direction and UI design · Concept exploration · 4 weeks

01

01

01

Visual Identity

Visual Identity

Visual Identity

Color language, typography system, editorial tone of voice across all states.

Color language, typography system, editorial tone of voice across all states.

Color language, typography system, editorial tone of voice across all states.

02

02

02

Art Direction

Art Direction

Art Direction

Scroll pacing, image treatment, spatial hierarchy, and negative space as signal.

Scroll pacing, image treatment, spatial hierarchy, and negative space as signal.

Scroll pacing, image treatment, spatial hierarchy, and negative space as signal.

03

03

03

Discovery Architecture

Discovery Architecture

Discovery Architecture

Sequencing story before product, structuring the emotional arc across 7 screens.

Sequencing story before product, structuring the emotional arc across 7 screens.

Sequencing story before product, structuring the emotional arc across 7 screens.

04

04

04

Micro-interactions

Micro-interactions

Micro-interactions

Transitions and reveals that reinforce editorial voice without noise.

Transitions and reveals that reinforce editorial voice without noise.

Transitions and reveals that reinforce editorial voice without noise.

This case study does not include a UX research phase. The intent was to explore whether visual craft alone can carry conversion intent, demonstrating art direction and editorial design as distinct senior-level competencies.

This case study does not include a UX research phase. The intent was to explore whether visual craft alone can carry conversion intent, demonstrating art direction and editorial design as distinct senior-level competencies.

This case study does not include a UX research phase. The intent was to explore whether visual craft alone can carry conversion intent, demonstrating art direction and editorial design as distinct senior-level competencies.

03 THE VISUAL SYSTEM

03 THE VISUAL SYSTEM

03 THE VISUAL SYSTEM

The Visual System

The Visual System

The Visual System

Every visual decision in Alpha Wine was made to produce a specific emotional or behavioral response. Here is the reasoning behind each one.

Every visual decision in Alpha Wine was made to produce a specific emotional or behavioral response. Here is the reasoning behind each one.

Every visual decision in Alpha Wine was made to produce a specific emotional or behavioral response. Here is the reasoning behind each one.

01

01

01

Typography: The Sommelier Voice

Typography: The Sommelier Voice

Typography: The Sommelier Voice

DECISION

DECISION

DECISION

Serif display type at large scale. Light body weight. Wide tracking on labels.

Serif display type at large scale. Light body weight. Wide tracking on labels.

Serif display type at large scale. Light body weight. Wide tracking on labels.

WHY

WHY

WHY

Serif type carries editorial authority - it signals "this is worth reading slowly." The contrast between heavy display headlines and featherlight body text creates a reading rhythm that mirrors how a sommelier speaks: deliberate, unhurried, confident without being loud.


Wide letter-spacing on wine labels and region names slows the eye intentionally. In discovery browsing, pace IS the experience. Fast reading creates a transactional mindset. Slow reading creates a curatorial one.

Serif type carries editorial authority - it signals "this is worth reading slowly." The contrast between heavy display headlines and featherlight body text creates a reading rhythm that mirrors how a sommelier speaks: deliberate, unhurried, confident without being loud.


Wide letter-spacing on wine labels and region names slows the eye intentionally. In discovery browsing, pace IS the experience. Fast reading creates a transactional mindset. Slow reading creates a curatorial one.

Serif type carries editorial authority - it signals "this is worth reading slowly." The contrast between heavy display headlines and featherlight body text creates a reading rhythm that mirrors how a sommelier speaks: deliberate, unhurried, confident without being loud.


Wide letter-spacing on wine labels and region names slows the eye intentionally. In discovery browsing, pace IS the experience. Fast reading creates a transactional mindset. Slow reading creates a curatorial one.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

A user reading at this pace is not shopping, they are learning. A user who learns before they buy is less price-sensitive and more likely to return.

A user reading at this pace is not shopping, they are learning. A user who learns before they buy is less price-sensitive and more likely to return.

A user reading at this pace is not shopping, they are learning. A user who learns before they buy is less price-sensitive and more likely to return.

02

02

02

Color Language: Restraint as Positioning

Color Language: Restraint as Positioning

Color Language: Restraint as Positioning

DECISION

DECISION

DECISION

Deep noir backgrounds. Muted burgundy and warm amber accents. Near-zero bright UI color.

Deep noir backgrounds. Muted burgundy and warm amber accents. Near-zero bright UI color.

Deep noir backgrounds. Muted burgundy and warm amber accents. Near-zero bright UI color.

WHY

WHY

WHY

In premium brand contexts, color density signals mass-market. Restraint signals curation. Bright CTAs and vibrant UI chrome are the visual vocabulary of fast commerce - they prime users to compare and transact.


Removing that vocabulary forces the eye to settle on content: the photography, the label art, the prose. The UI disappears and the product takes the stage.

In premium brand contexts, color density signals mass-market. Restraint signals curation. Bright CTAs and vibrant UI chrome are the visual vocabulary of fast commerce - they prime users to compare and transact.


Removing that vocabulary forces the eye to settle on content: the photography, the label art, the prose. The UI disappears and the product takes the stage.

In premium brand contexts, color density signals mass-market. Restraint signals curation. Bright CTAs and vibrant UI chrome are the visual vocabulary of fast commerce - they prime users to compare and transact.


Removing that vocabulary forces the eye to settle on content: the photography, the label art, the prose. The UI disappears and the product takes the stage.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Accent color appears only at the moment of product selection. The first appearance of a bright color feels like a signal: "now is the time to act."

Accent color appears only at the moment of product selection. The first appearance of a bright color feels like a signal: "now is the time to act."

Accent color appears only at the moment of product selection. The first appearance of a bright color feels like a signal: "now is the time to act."

03

03

03

Space: The Premium Signal

Space: The Premium Signal

Space: The Premium Signal

DECISION

DECISION

DECISION

Aggressive use of negative space. Single product per view on key screens. Generous margins.

Aggressive use of negative space. Single product per view on key screens. Generous margins.

Aggressive use of negative space. Single product per view on key screens. Generous margins.

WHY

WHY

WHY

Space is the visual equivalent of a pause. Editorial designers use pauses to build anticipation. In wine, anticipation is part of the experience.


Tight layouts signal abundance and choice. Open layouts signal scarcity and curation. A screen with one wine, given breathing room, communicates "this was selected for you" rather than "here are your options."

Space is the visual equivalent of a pause. Editorial designers use pauses to build anticipation. In wine, anticipation is part of the experience.


Tight layouts signal abundance and choice. Open layouts signal scarcity and curation. A screen with one wine, given breathing room, communicates "this was selected for you" rather than "here are your options."

Space is the visual equivalent of a pause. Editorial designers use pauses to build anticipation. In wine, anticipation is part of the experience.


Tight layouts signal abundance and choice. Open layouts signal scarcity and curation. A screen with one wine, given breathing room, communicates "this was selected for you" rather than "here are your options."

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Users cannot quickly scan multiple products - intentionally. Designed for depth, not breadth: for the buyer who wants to understand before they choose.

Users cannot quickly scan multiple products - intentionally. Designed for depth, not breadth: for the buyer who wants to understand before they choose.

Users cannot quickly scan multiple products - intentionally. Designed for depth, not breadth: for the buyer who wants to understand before they choose.

04

04

04

Story-Led Architecture: Provenance Before Price

Story-Led Architecture: Provenance Before Price

Story-Led Architecture: Provenance Before Price

DECISION

DECISION

DECISION

Each wine's editorial story appears before the product card and pricing.

Each wine's editorial story appears before the product card and pricing.

Each wine's editorial story appears before the product card and pricing.

WHY

WHY

WHY

This is the central UX hypothesis. Conventional e-commerce surfaces price and ratings first. Alpha Wine inverts this deliberately.


A buyer who reads about a winemaker's dry-farming philosophy has already formed a relationship with the product. By the time price appears, they're not asking "is this worth it?" They're asking "how many bottles?"

This is the central UX hypothesis. Conventional e-commerce surfaces price and ratings first. Alpha Wine inverts this deliberately.


A buyer who reads about a winemaker's dry-farming philosophy has already formed a relationship with the product. By the time price appears, they're not asking "is this worth it?" They're asking "how many bottles?"

This is the central UX hypothesis. Conventional e-commerce surfaces price and ratings first. Alpha Wine inverts this deliberately.


A buyer who reads about a winemaker's dry-farming philosophy has already formed a relationship with the product. By the time price appears, they're not asking "is this worth it?" They're asking "how many bottles?"

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Region story - Winemaker philosophy - Harvest details - Tasting notes - Product card. Each step deepens investment before asking for a decision.

Region story - Winemaker philosophy - Harvest details - Tasting notes - Product card. Each step deepens investment before asking for a decision.

Region story - Winemaker philosophy - Harvest details - Tasting notes - Product card. Each step deepens investment before asking for a decision.

05

05

05

Micro-interactions: Reinforcing the Editorial Tone

Micro-interactions: Reinforcing the Editorial Tone

Micro-interactions: Reinforcing the Editorial Tone

DECISION

DECISION

DECISION

Slow fade-based transitions. No snappy slides. Scroll-triggered reveals that feel like turning a page.

Slow fade-based transitions. No snappy slides. Scroll-triggered reveals that feel like turning a page.

Slow fade-based transitions. No snappy slides. Scroll-triggered reveals that feel like turning a page.

WHY

WHY

WHY

Animation vocabulary communicates product personality. Fast, elastic animations signal energy and youth. Slow, dissolving transitions signal patience and permanence.


Every interaction was designed to feel like handling something physical: the weight of a wine bottle, the deliberateness of uncorking.

Animation vocabulary communicates product personality. Fast, elastic animations signal energy and youth. Slow, dissolving transitions signal patience and permanence.


Every interaction was designed to feel like handling something physical: the weight of a wine bottle, the deliberateness of uncorking.

Animation vocabulary communicates product personality. Fast, elastic animations signal energy and youth. Slow, dissolving transitions signal patience and permanence.


Every interaction was designed to feel like handling something physical: the weight of a wine bottle, the deliberateness of uncorking.

04 DISCOVERY ARCHITECTURE

04 DISCOVERY ARCHITECTURE

04 DISCOVERY ARCHITECTURE

Discovery Architecture

Discovery Architecture

Discovery Architecture

Built for the user who wants to want something - the curious buyer who does not yet have the vocabulary but trusts the experience to guide them.

Built for the user who wants to want something - the curious buyer who does not yet have the vocabulary but trusts the experience to guide them.

Built for the user who wants to want something - the curious buyer who does not yet have the vocabulary but trusts the experience to guide them.

Landing

Landing

Landing

Mood Entry

Mood Entry

Mood Entry

Region

Region

Region

Story

Story

Story

Winemaker

Winemaker

Winemaker

Feature

Feature

Feature

Curated

Curated

Curated

Collection

Collection

Collection

Single

Single

Single

Product

Product

Product

Food

Food

Food

Pairing

Pairing

Pairing

Add to

Add to

Add to

Cellar

Cellar

Cellar

Mood Entry

Mood Entry

Mood Entry

Removes the barrier of prior wine knowledge. You do not need to know grapes to start.

Removes the barrier of prior wine knowledge. You do not need to know grapes to start.

Removes the barrier of prior wine knowledge. You do not need to know grapes to start.

Story-First

Story-First

Story-First

Region and winemaker stories build vocabulary and confidence progressively.

Region and winemaker stories build vocabulary and confidence progressively.

Region and winemaker stories build vocabulary and confidence progressively.

Timed Reveal

Timed Reveal

Timed Reveal

Curated collection arrives only after emotional context is established.

Curated collection arrives only after emotional context is established.

Curated collection arrives only after emotional context is established.

Lifestyle Frame

Lifestyle Frame

Lifestyle Frame

Food pairing extends the purchase into a lifestyle frame. You are not buying wine, you are planning an evening.

Food pairing extends the purchase into a lifestyle frame. You are not buying wine, you are planning an evening.

Food pairing extends the purchase into a lifestyle frame. You are not buying wine, you are planning an evening.

Language Shift

Language Shift

Language Shift

"Add to Cellar" not "Add to Cart". Copy that matches the editorial tone signals you are in a different kind of store.

"Add to Cellar" not "Add to Cart". Copy that matches the editorial tone signals you are in a different kind of store.

"Add to Cellar" not "Add to Cart". Copy that matches the editorial tone signals you are in a different kind of store.

05 CRAFT REFLECTION

05 CRAFT REFLECTION

05 CRAFT REFLECTION

Craft Reflection

Craft Reflection

Craft Reflection

WHAT THIS DEMONSTRATES

WHAT THIS DEMONSTRATES

WHAT THIS DEMONSTRATES

Visual systems can carry persuasion weight UX conventionally assigns to flows and CTAs

Visual systems can carry persuasion weight UX conventionally assigns to flows and CTAs

Visual systems can carry persuasion weight UX conventionally assigns to flows and CTAs

Typography and spatial rhythm are behavioral tools, not just aesthetic choices

Typography and spatial rhythm are behavioral tools, not just aesthetic choices

Typography and spatial rhythm are behavioral tools, not just aesthetic choices

Editorial hierarchy changes the emotional state of the user before they make a decision

Editorial hierarchy changes the emotional state of the user before they make a decision

Editorial hierarchy changes the emotional state of the user before they make a decision

Designing for confidence is different from designing for efficiency

Designing for confidence is different from designing for efficiency

Designing for confidence is different from designing for efficiency

TRADE-OFFS I MADE CONSCIOUSLY

TRADE-OFFS I MADE CONSCIOUSLY

TRADE-OFFS I MADE CONSCIOUSLY

Slow browsing over fast filtering

Slow browsing over fast filtering

Slow browsing over fast filtering

Lower task efficiency, higher purchase intent. A user who reads a story buys a case.

Lower task efficiency, higher purchase intent. A user who reads a story buys a case.

Lower task efficiency, higher purchase intent. A user who reads a story buys a case.

Story-first over product-first

Story-first over product-first

Story-first over product-first

Harder to compare SKUs. Appropriate for the premium segment; would fail for a value retailer.

Harder to compare SKUs. Appropriate for the premium segment; would fail for a value retailer.

Harder to compare SKUs. Appropriate for the premium segment; would fail for a value retailer.

Dark mode only

Dark mode only

Dark mode only

Reinforces premium positioning. Production delivery includes light mode variant and WCAG 2.1 AA audit.

Reinforces premium positioning. Production delivery includes light mode variant and WCAG 2.1 AA audit.

Reinforces premium positioning. Production delivery includes light mode variant and WCAG 2.1 AA audit.

WHAT I'D EXPLORE NEXT

WHAT I'D EXPLORE NEXT

WHAT I'D EXPLORE NEXT

How does this editorial model scale to a catalog of 200+ wines? Where does pacing break under volume?

How does this editorial model scale to a catalog of 200+ wines? Where does pacing break under volume?

How does this editorial model scale to a catalog of 200+ wines? Where does pacing break under volume?

Can this be tested against a conventional wine e-commerce UI for time-to-decision and average order value?

Can this be tested against a conventional wine e-commerce UI for time-to-decision and average order value?

Can this be tested against a conventional wine e-commerce UI for time-to-decision and average order value?

What is the mobile translation of editorial pacing? Does scroll rhythm work the same way on thumb navigation?

What is the mobile translation of editorial pacing? Does scroll rhythm work the same way on thumb navigation?

What is the mobile translation of editorial pacing? Does scroll rhythm work the same way on thumb navigation?

This is not a solved UX problem. It is a deliberate visual argument, made in craft, that premium product discovery can be redesigned around emotional investment rather than transactional efficiency.


That is a design opinion, clearly held and clearly executed.

This is not a solved UX problem. It is a deliberate visual argument, made in craft, that premium product discovery can be redesigned around emotional investment rather than transactional efficiency.


That is a design opinion, clearly held and clearly executed.

This is not a solved UX problem. It is a deliberate visual argument, made in craft, that premium product discovery can be redesigned around emotional investment rather than transactional efficiency.


That is a design opinion, clearly held and clearly executed.

CRAFT EXPLORATION · UI NICHE · CONCEPT

Most wine UIs sell

products.

This one sells

provenance.

A craft exploration in editorial conversion: using typography, scroll pacing, and visual hierarchy as the persuasion mechanism instead of CTAs.

Solo Art Direction

Editorial UX

Visual Identity

View Prototype →

01 THE DESIGN THESIS

The Hypothesis

Premium wine buyers don't convert because of CTAs.

They convert because of story.

THE DECISION

No traditional product grid. Each wine gets its own editorial page: full-bleed photography, a "character profile" over price-first hierarchy.

WHY THIS MATTERS BEYOND THE NICHE

Most wine e-commerce leads with product: varieties, price filters, 100-point ratings. Alpha Wine leads with provenance: the region, the winemaker's philosophy, the harvest year.

WHAT I OWNED

End-to-End

Ownership

Solo project. Every layer, every decision.

Visual Identity

Color language, typography system, editorial tone

Art Direction

Scroll pacing, full-bleed composition, product framing

Discovery Architecture

Catalog structure, filtering logic, collection nav

Micro-interactions

Hover reveals, toast confirmations, loading states

03 THE VISUAL SYSTEM

The Visual System

Every element earns its place. Here is how each decision compounds into a system.

01 / VISUAL SYSTEM

Typography: The Sommelier Voice

THE DECISION

Forum for display, Caudex for editorial body. Zero system fonts.

WHY

Forum's roman serifs echo wine label traditions. Caudex holds 300-word product essays without fatigue. The combination signals luxury without using a single gold-star icon.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Users read more, stay longer, trust the brand before they see a price.

02 / VISUAL SYSTEM

Color Language: Restraint as Positioning

THE DECISION

Noir-purple base (#1E0024) with gold and rose as the only accent colors.

WHY

Purple-black reads as cellar depth. Gold suggests aged provenance. Rose signals approachability in an otherwise intimidating category.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Color does the positioning work: premium but not corporate, intimate but not casual.

03 / VISUAL SYSTEM

Space: The Premium Signal

THE DECISION

80-160px vertical rhythm. No element competes with its neighbor.

WHY

Luxury retail uses whitespace as a proxy for value. Crowded = discount. Spacious = worth the price.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Users slow down. Scroll pacing becomes the conversion mechanism.

04 / VISUAL SYSTEM

Story-Led Architecture: Provenance Before Price

THE DECISION

Region story, winemaker note, and harvest context appear before price or add-to-cart.

WHY

Wine buyers self-identify as connoisseurs. Leading with story validates that identity. Price at the end feels like a reveal, not a transaction.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Higher perceived value. Lower price sensitivity.

05 / VISUAL SYSTEM

Micro-interactions: Reinforcing the Editorial Tone

THE DECISION

Hover reveals expand character profiles, not spec sheets.

WHY

System-level hover states (color swatches, zoom previews) belong in Amazon. Alpha Wine hover states deepen the narrative.

BEHAVIORAL INTENT

Every interaction reinforces the brand voice: curious, measured, knowledgeable.

04 DISCOVERY ARCHITECTURE

How a User

Moves Through

the Site

The journey is structured to delay purchase intent and build desire through story.

01

Landing

Hero statement sets editorial tone. No product grid above the fold.

02

Collection Entry

Nocturna / Aurum — thematic, not varietal. Emotional positioning before specs.

03

Editorial Feature

Full-bleed hero image, winemaker note, harvest story.

04

Product Detail

Character profile, tasting notes, and provenance before price.

05

Add to Cellar

CTA appears only after narrative is complete.

06

Cross-Sell Arc

Related bottles surface by story theme, not algorithm.

07

Loyalty Signal

Account area reframes as "Your Cellar" - collection vs. purchase history.

WHY THIS ARCHITECTURE

Every step in this flow was chosen to extend dwell time. Longer dwell = higher perceived value = lower price resistance. The architecture is the conversion mechanism.

05 CRAFT REFLECTION

What I Would

Do Differently

Honest trade-off analysis from a designer who's seen how this performs under real product pressure.

PERFORMANCE COST

Full-bleed imagery at this scale adds 2-4s to first contentful paint on mobile. A real product would need lazy loading, WebP format, and progressive image delivery baked into the design spec.

ACCESSIBILITY GAP

Gold on noir fails WCAG AA at small sizes. A production version would shift to a lighter gold variant (#FFD4A3) for body text and implement focus states that don't break the dark aesthetic.

CONVERSION RISK

Delaying the CTA is a deliberate bet. It works when users arrive with purchase intent. For cold traffic it may increase bounce. A real test: A/B the CTA position on the editorial feature page.

SCALE QUESTION

The editorial model works at 20-50 SKUs. At 500+ SKUs it breaks. A production system needs a templatized editorial format: variable story blocks that can be populated via CMS without a designer.

"The best editorial UI is the one that makes the user forget they're shopping."

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