Summary: Storience created the brand identity and web design for online fashion store Clotier. Positioned as an advisor on wardrobe issues, the online store is a rich source of fashion inspiration and tips.
According to a study conducted in autumn 2014 by digital consultancy Gemius, Romanians’ most frequent online purchases are clothing and fashion accessories (58% of all purchases). The fashion e-commerce market is fairly crowded, and most competitors offer competitive prices and reputed brands. If they want to stand out, newcomers must demonstrate both relevance and originality.
Storience started the branding process with a qualitative research that looked into the profile and needs of the Romanian fashion consumer. A key finding was the almost universal need for inspiration and guidance in clothing choices.
Most interviewees mentioned hesitation and insecurity when matching clothes to their body type, as well as to their mood and personality – regardless of their income or education level. Hence the idea of making the new online store work as an advisor on wardrobe issues. This was the cornerstone of Clotier’s brand strategy.
Insecurity
in fashion choices was
common to all consumer groups
The core of the brand strategy was to make the new online store work as a trusted advisor on wardrobe issues. The brand’s purpose was not to fill up your wardrobe, but to revolutionize it.
Clotier is a made-up name stemming from the English clothier – one that makes or sells clothing. Its current form has a French flavour, conveys elegance, and goes well with chiffonier (closet). The visual identity is a stylized peacock, widely perceived as a symbol of beauty and natural elegance. The colour palette follows up on this idea and displays gender dimorphism, with dedicated hues for female and male audiences.
What sets Clotier apart from the competition is its in-house team of fashion consultants, who carefully choose products and create outfits that help customers make better purchase decisions. Clotier has an editorial team as well, in charge with the store magazine. Both teams are managed by Ovidiu Buta, the reputed Romanian fashion stylist and editor.
Our cooperation with Storience was casual and stimulating. A lot of nice ideas came forth. We are very pleased with the store’s name and visual identity, and we are striving every day to rise to the expectations of really being one of a kind.
Clotier is one of the very few online fashion stores in Romania where all products are always in stock and all orders are quickly fulfilled. The new store sells an assortment of international brands, as well as own-brand products, created in cooperation with local manufacturers.
For the launch campaign, we met the target of gathering 10,000 contacts by introducing a quiz whereby users could match a special edition, branded T-shirt to their personalities. Every 10 minutes, by drawing lots, a fan won one of the eight T-shirt models illustrated by Ioana Sopov that best complemented them.
10,000
contacts gathered
in the launch campaign
Four months after its launch, Clotier has offered personal fashion guidance for hundreds of clients, has published over a hundred articles in its online magazine, and gathered tens of thousands of fans on its Facebook page.
