Rue Marcellin: A Vintage Art E-commerce Website

Creating a User-Friendly Online Art Gallery

When designing Rue Marcellin, the primary objective was to create a clean and simple website that would appeal to different generations interested in vintage art. Drawing inspiration from 1900's Parisian vintage, the brand and style of the website reflect the elegance and charm of that era. With a focus on generating sales, the website needed to showcase the quality and detail of the prints while ensuring a fully responsive and user-friendly experience.

What sets Rue Marcellin apart is its emphasis on accessibility and detail. As a new company with no existing online presence, the design and build of the website could solely focus on making the artwork easily accessible to prospective buyers across all devices. The site features a clean and fresh appearance, powerful search and indexing capabilities, and an innovative zoom function that allows users to explore the finer details of the artwork.

The realization of Rue Marcellin was made possible through the use of the Shopify e-commerce platform. The website was fully custom-built using HTML, CSS, JQuery, and Liquid. One of the key innovations of the site is its search functionality, which utilizes tags within the products to provide a flexible and in-depth search experience without compromising the design, usability, and responsiveness. Additionally, a custom zoom feature was implemented, allowing users to zoom in and explore the artwork in greater detail.

Technical specifications of the design include a variable content width at 90% screen size, based on a 12-column grid. This ensures that the website adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices, providing a consistent and enjoyable browsing experience.

The Rue Marcellin website offers a seamless interaction for users. The shop page features a precise filtering system that allows users to refine their search based on their exact requirements, all without leaving the page. By selecting a product, customers are shown additional information and have the ability to zoom into the image to view the finer details. The website also features a simple menu structure and a hidden sidebar menu for mobile devices to ensure responsiveness.

The project for Rue Marcellin commenced in September 2013, with the first phase focusing on the creation of the branding and logo design. This was followed by the design, build, and content phases, with the website going live on December 12th, 2013. The design process involved extensive research into vintage Parisian art and competitor websites to create a clean, minimalist design that draws users into the product artwork while remaining fully responsive and stylish on mobile devices.

One of the main challenges faced during the design process was refining the shop functionality to provide a seamless and efficient user experience without compromising clarity and speed of purchase. Additionally, it was crucial to implement a quality zoom function to allow visitors to see the finest details of each product, regardless of the device they were using.

The Rue Marcellin website is a testament to the beauty and elegance of vintage Parisian art. With its clean design, innovative features, and user-friendly interface, it offers a pleasurable shopping or browsing experience for visitors. The website also includes calls to action and opportunities for social interaction, guiding customers through the shopping area and fostering social dialogue.

All images used on the Rue Marcellin website are copyright of Rue Marcellin. This design was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Website and Web Design category in 2015. This prestigious award recognizes well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements, contributing to a better world.