WHAT TRULY DEFINES A LUXURY BUSINESS
In this blog, I want to discuss a topic that often leaves clients confused: the essence of a luxury business and how it intertwines with your website and branding.
Creating a website that truly reflects the prestige of your services can be a daunting task. We will demystify what luxury entails and guide you towards a confident, compelling digital presence. Additionally, we'll shed light on the common pitfalls in website design that might compromise your status as a luxury business.
Defining Luxury
Luxury, by definition, embodies non-essential, rare, exclusive, sophisticated, and high-value elements. It's a space where exquisite craftsmanship and prestige converge.
But do you agree with this definition?
If you desire to occupy this space, what drives you?
Is it a point of pride, or do you see it as a means to command a premium for your offerings?
I want to understand, because from experience in most cases, that it is not the luxury space my clients are after but an elevated status. I aim to show you what this genuinely entails so you can confidently communicate.
Epitome of Luxury
Hermès, an iconic brand, epitomizes luxury. It exudes wealth, prestige, and a top-tier market position.
When crafting websites for luxury brands, the focus is on delivering an unparalleled experience, meticulous attention to detail, and exceptional product quality. I will uncover more these details and how to achieve the status of a luxurious brand soon.
So, designing a website for luxury brands is about creating the next level of experience, focusing on details, product quality, and being the best in your field.
Below it is a screenshot of a Hermès website; the simplistic design is packed with personality and presence.
The Aesthetics of a
Luxury Website Design Brand
What does luxury website design actually look like?
It has a commanding presence with a definitive, dramatic, and strong design. Luxury websites immediately capture attention, so the design needs to be strong and dramatic.
Let's explore the elements of creating this experience to your brand.
Luxury Branding and Logos
I want to start with the branding, since it is what the translation of the essence of your business.
One noticeable feature is that the logo is usually simple and clean, which, in my opinion, is quite challenging to achieve simplicity and uniqueness. Creating a minimalist logo that is distinctive and memorable can be difficult.
You'll often find that luxury logos are simple, but yet confident, they have a presence and a strong and iconic feel to them.
Instead of striving for a clever ideas behind logos for my clients, I focus on creating a design that leaves a significant impact without the need for explanations, and will not be dated for the next 10 years, if not more.
The drama that the small logo of Dom Pérignon with the bold video exudes confidence and command attention in my opinion. Press play to experience the full effect.
Luxury Website Photos
Photos play a crucial role in commanding this presence and making a significant impact when visitors land on a luxury website. They are typically crisp, intentional, high-resolution, properly sized, beautifully styled, and expertly shot. Investing in professional photos and a stylist is essential to make your mark in the luxury space.
These photos editorial and high-end nature create a sense of desire and polished excellence.
It's not about appearing natural but embracing something a little edgy and consistently polished.
If you want to establish your presence in the luxury space, your brand strategy, photos, and minute details must all be meticulously polished.
Can I say polished one more time?
Fonts in the Luxury Space
Font will be strong, making a statement of its own.
It is usually bespoke and expertly crafted. It will likely be one of the first things you notice on their site, alongside photos, as your eyes are naturally drawn to it.
This is not the place for timidity or uncertain experimentation; you must present your brand with confidence, striking a balance between drama and unwavering commitment.
Alignment, scale and balance are meticulously considered when using and placing fonts in every touch point.
Proportion & White Space
When Designing Luxury Websites
Proportions are carefully considered, as they should be in all designs, if I must add, but it's especially crucial in luxury brands. Everything must be precisely on point, including the proportion of menu fonts to your logo at all touch points.
Luxury brands often incorporate an element of boldness, as luxury is all about extremes. Attention to detail is fundamental, and this is not the space to cut corners. Each touchpoint, from the size of the hamburger menu icon to pop-ups, must be carefully considered.
The white space also know know as the Breathing room, is another critical element, which I often use in my designs, is a favorite trick to create an elevated sense of style and elegance, a hallmark of luxury brands too.
White space, which doesn't necessarily have to be white, imparts a feeling of expansiveness and sophistication. In luxury design, simplicity reigns, and there's plenty of space around everything, adhering to minimalism with intention.
The Presence of Luxury Brands
Presence is everything in the luxury market.
Luxury brands maintain a strong and distinctive presence, as I mention on the example above.
I often simplify design elements and avoid excessive twirls, tiny and delicate details, and I usually don't use icons, and illustrations in abundance , if any to be honest.
Although exceptions exist, it ultimately comes down to having a well-executed strategy that can bring that vision to life and fit into a well crafted overall experience.
These elevated businesses often incorporate an element of boldness, as luxury is all about extremes. Attention to detail is fundamental, and this is not the space to cut corners. Each touchpoint, from the size of the hamburger menu icon to website pop-ups, must be carefully considered to create and reflect an impactful presence.
Which Colors to Choose
for Luxury Designing
Colors also play a significant role. Careful consideration of color tones and shades is crucial, as inappropriate color choices can cheapen the brand.
The colors for luxury designs are contrasting, crisp and used strategically.
Black and white tend to be the norm if not standard because immediately adds the editorial and bold feel to it, with an addition of a pop of color to emphasize call to action and define the brand.
The first brand that comes to mind that uses this strategy is Tiffany & Co. with the use of their famousTiffany Blue to draw attention and create brand recognition.
Finishes & Details when Designing
Luxury Websites
Overlooked finishes like thin business card stock, shiny inexpensive sateen ribbons, overused stock photos, are big no-nos when it comes to luxurious touch points. The luxury space is a ridge and expensive space to be in and everything has to be calculated and planned accordingly to your business goals.
Easy solutions to elevate these touch points is an easy solution, try to substitute the shiny ribbons with grosgrain or velvet ones, thicker business card stock, I use this and love it.
Curves and twirls tend to extract a luxury feel, tiny circles and polka dots, delicate and artsy fonts will also bring the whole visual to down market space.
Luxury Design Pitfalls to Avoid
Inexpert use of fonts, scaling issues, and spacing problems can detract from the luxury appeal. Color choices must be carefully considered, and low-quality materials or overused stock photos should be avoided. Excessive patterns, fonts, and curves can cheapen the design.
Notably, luxury brands don't label themselves as such; they evoke the feeling of luxury. Words like "bespoke" or "refined" convey the message. Bear in mind that it's about showing it rather than just saying it.
Creating the Luxury Feel
We've explored the essence of luxury brands, the steps to establish a presence in this space, and the pitfalls to avoid. But remember, there are alternative styles to achieve your brand's goals without necessarily positioning yourself as a luxury brand. We believe that you can define your worth and command attention in various ways, and it's about choosing the approach that best aligns with your objectives
Smiles, Fab
