DESIGN STUDY Freelance · 2015
18|8 Fine Men's Salons is a growing men's hair salon franchise targeting an image-conscious demographic. The goal was to push the brand proposition visually while making the primary call to action impossible to miss.
As one of the first men's salons providing boutique-level services including full grooming advice, 18|8 needed its homepage to visually communicate how distinct its offering was from standard barbershops. The existing design wasn't communicating that difference with enough confidence.
The redesign pushed the brand's visual boundaries while communicating 18|8's core attributes: highest quality, personalized service, and craft. I also introduced a seasonal aspect, with this exploration representing a Fall direction. The strategy was an ongoing one: a different design treatment would follow for each season, giving the brand perpetual freshness.
This exploration relied heavily on visuals to communicate 18|8's value proposition. A lifestyle-centered approach, using visual storytelling rather than descriptive copy, doesn't work everywhere but made for especially strong impact in the men's grooming category.
