Otway & Orford

Otway & Orford started their e-commerce journey with a basic Shopify theme that offered minimal design and didn’t convey the premium nature of their products to their target audience. They came to us for help turning their store from one that was struggling to convert visitors into buyers into a sophisticated, classy site that reflected the luxury of their pocket square niche in a genuinely competitive fashion market.

For projects like this, we start by gathering detailed information from the client on their design preferences, including links to sites that capture the look and feel they want, whether or not those sites are competitors. Non-competitor examples often give a more unbiased read on the client’s vision. After reviewing what Otway & Orford provided, we researched suitable Shopify themes and presented our findings, gathering feedback before confirming the right fit and moving into design work.

Otway & Orford appreciated our input and felt our first theme recommendation captured exactly what they were after: classic yet contemporary, projecting a professional image aligned with their audience. Once approved, we designed an engaging homepage using their strong product photography to tell the story of their catalogue. We used ample white space and a minimal palette, mindful that the vibrant colours of many of their products could overwhelm the page if we introduced too many additional colours.

We chose classic fonts for a sense of familiarity, aiming for a timeless, masculine aesthetic that let the beautifully photographed products take centre stage, with supporting content playing a quieter role.

We used Shopify’s metafields feature to break additional content out of already detailed product descriptions into concise accordion sections, giving customers easy access to size, shipping, material, and care information without feeling overwhelmed. Otway & Orford required very few revisions, and we delivered the site ahead of the proposed deadline.

Since launch, we’ve continued providing ad-hoc services, including SEO content across their collections and pages, built on researched keywords that align their catalogue with searches for unique pocket squares as gifts for men, weddings, and other occasions. We also created pages on their brand story and styling advice, which both educate visitors and support their SEO ranking.

In recent years, we’ve continued supporting Otway & Orford with ongoing improvements, integrating new functionality and applications aimed at improving the experience, boosting conversion, and speeding up the site. This work has helped Otway & Orford stay competitive and appealing in a fast-moving fashion market.