Esther 'Astar' Oke is a fashion designer who specializes in luxury menswear accessories. She needed a portfolio as elegant and dynamic as her work to creatively display her pieces. She wanted a site that was minimal and elegant to give attention to the pieces that she designed while also incorporating interactive elements to keep users engaged while highlighting her achievements as a young industry professional.

The Astar website redesign represents a meticulous endeavor to create a digital platform that truly reflects the essence of luxury menswear accessories. This minimal and elegant project aims to amplify the brilliance of Astar's exquisite designs, ensuring they take center stage while providing an unparalleled user experience. Through extensive UI/UX research and design decisions, the final product surpasses all expectations, delivering a solution that is not only satisfactory but truly exceptional for Astar.

To lay the groundwork for this remarkable redesign, thorough UI/UX research was conducted. The objective was to understand Astar's target audience and their preferences, ensuring the new website would cater precisely to their needs. By conducting user surveys, interviews, and analyzing fashion industry trends, a deep understanding of the users' desires and expectations was gained. 

Astar wanted to position herself in the luxury space, so I conducted surveys to understand how people perceived luxury. I gave a sample population of 50 people a series of 4 fonts (2 serif and 2 sans serif) and colors (black/white, muted colors, vibrant colors) and asked them to associate them with three categories: luxury, value, and cheap. My research showed that 82% of people associate sans serif fonts with luxury and 65% of people associated black and white with luxury. This research formed the foundation for the design decisions that would follow.

The new Astar website provides contrast by juxtaposing brutalism with a minimalistic approach, allowing the luxurious menswear accessories to shine with a captivating allure. Moving text and images capture the viewers attention and carefully guide their experience. The user interface design is meticulously crafted, presenting a clean and uncluttered aesthetic that exudes sophistication. The color palette, carefully selected to complement the brand's identity, employs elegant tones and subtle contrasts to create a sense of refinement.

The user experience was a paramount consideration throughout the redesign process. Intuitive navigation was achieved through an unobtrusive and easily accessible menu structure. Moving elements throughout the site give it a dynamic and interactive feel to keep users engaged and excited as they crawl the pages. Additionally, prominent calls to action strategically placed throughout the website guide users seamlessly toward her projects, amplifying Astar's objectives.

The redesigned Astar website not only meets but exceeds the client's expectations. Astar was able to use this portfolio to help land her into a master's program in Menswear Design and the Royal College of Art, being mentored by Bianca Saunders. By incorporating extensive UI/UX research, the final product resonates with the target audience, presenting a harmonious blend of functionality, aesthetics, and usability. The design decisions implemented offer a visually captivating experience, putting Astar's luxury menswear accessories in the spotlight. Furthermore, the seamless user experience ensures an effortless journey for those viewing the portfolio.

In summary, the Astar website redesign is a testament to the meticulous UI/UX research and design decisions that were employed. The minimal and elegant design coupled with captivating moving elements allows the exquisite menswear accessories to take center stage, while the seamless user experience leaves a lasting impression. The final product not only meets the client's satisfaction but goes beyond, positioning Astar as a leading luxury designer in the digital realm.