Connolly
Begun in 1878 as a maker of fine saddles and shoes, Connolly leather appears in some of the most exclusive rooms in Britain, from the benches of the Houses of Parliament to the Coronation coaches of the Royal Family, and in the interiors of some of the world’s finest sports cars: Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Ferrari, and Rolls-Royce, for whom Connolly was the exclusive leather supplier for more than 100 years.
In recent years the label has developed a contemporary luxury collection: tailored separates, knitwear, classic sportswear, and leather goods for men and women, together with homeware and objets d’art. The inspiration is a heritage of motor racing, joined to British know-how, understatement, and a European standard of style and craft.
Where design carries commercial weight
With Michèle Victoria (MuseVision), the Connolly brief was a website that would reflect the experience of the store and the editorial aesthetic the label is known for. More than a storefront, the site had to hold a commercial structure and a platform for the house’s own content.
The content was wide: seasonal campaign imagery, and moving image that looks at heritage and at how things are made. All of it was designed to engage a customer, to make the heritage legible, and to show the care behind each product.
We began with a wireframe: a clear visual of the layout and the essential features, a plan for how the site would be organized and how a visitor would move. Designing that framework first gave us a structure, a set of functions, and a flow, and gave the client a place to look closely and respond.
With Connolly’s approval of the wireframe, we moved into development, turning that plan into a fully functioning fashion e-commerce site.
