DZEN LIFESTYLES
I rebuilt and rebranded DZEN Lifestyles’ ecommerce site on Shopify within 24 hours — translating a previously shelved Webflow concept into a custom-coded, mobile-first storefront. Alongside the design, I optimized the UX, cleaned and retouched product photography, structured SEO touchpoints, and reorganized collections for clarity and conversion. The result was a fully shoppable site that reflected the brand’s vision and was ready to grow.
Category: Web Design / Brand System
Timeline: 24-hour turnaround (execution)
Platform: Shopify
Original Concept: Webflow build (1 year prior):
The Setup
DZEN Lifestyles came to me with a last-minute ask:
“Can you rebrand and rebuild our website… by tomorrow?”
The clock was real. The brand manager was circling back after sitting on a Webflow concept I had pitched a year earlier. At the time, I had fully developed a working prototype that introduced a new look, layout, and brand energy — but they held off.
Now they were ready — but on Shopify.
The Challenge
Shopify’s limitations meant I couldn’t just transfer what I had in Webflow.
Instead, I had to custom-code a new experience, redesign the storefront to feel modern and clean, and make it "shoppable "— all while retaining the vision we originally built around: minimalism, movement, and bold visual clarity.
My Role
- Translated a Webflow build into a custom-coded Shopify storefront
- Reorganized product listings into shoppable collections
- Cleaned up product photography (Photoshop edits + retouching)
- Implemented UX structure to improve flow and navigation
- Prepared the entire site for launch — within 24 hours
Creative Direction
The original concept for DZEN was rooted in intention and fluidity — not overly “zen” in the stereotypical way, but still clean and bold. Think wellness meets streetwear: neutrals, sharp edges, layered space, and confident simplicity.
That design language had already been built out in the Webflow concept — so I used it as the foundation and translated as much as possible into the new Shopify build. Fonts, spacing, collection hierarchy, product detail pages — all reimagined for ecommerce-first functionality.
Deliverables
- Custom-coded Shopify storefront
- Edited and retouched product photos
- Itemized product collections and filtering
- Homepage design with new layout logic
- Mobile-first cleanup
- Navigation and info architecture overhaul
- Launch prep for live traffic
Outcome
The site was fully rebuilt, rebranded, and launched in 24 hours — but every move was intentional. Beyond the custom-coded Shopify setup, I structured the product listings and collections around searchable, scalable categories, with an eye toward SEO performance and user flow.
I wrote meta descriptions, optimized image names, cleaned up product titles, and implemented basic schema touchpoints. Nothing overengineered — just clean structure that Google could read, and users could follow.
It wasn’t just a visual upgrade. It was a strategic one — positioning DZEN for growth across search, content, and commerce.
Reflection
This project was about building under pressure — but doing it with clarity.
I didn’t just make it “work.” I made it searchable, scalable, and shoppable — fast.
That only happened because the creative direction was already locked in from a year ago. Having that vision banked let me act like an in-house creative team: move quick, stay consistent, and launch something worth landing on.
