The Interactive Web According to Chanel

Planning. Design. Production. From concept to launch, website design and fashion share the same process. These two style driven mediums focus on usability and communicating the brand's unique look and feel. Vibrant websites are born from innovative agencies and dynamic fashion from legendary designers.

Coco Chanel is one designer whose revolutionary style and keen entrepreneurial smarts have shaped the fashion industry and inspired the designs of today. If she were storming 2008 in her bob haircut and little black dress, in the world of the internet, twitter, wikis and blogs, how would her successful business tactics and style philosophy apply to interactive web.

Some may think of fashion as frivolous and web design as just pictures on a monitor. However, both are integral to defining the cultures of the past and influencing the social patterns of tomorrow.

Even though Mademoisele Coco Chanel isn't with us in person, through her simplistic and user centric style, her principles can be found today - even in web design.

Through a series of posts, let's explore this: How do Chanel's quotes/remarks/fashion practices all apply to the interactive web.

No. 1. Leave an Impression. Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.

Chanel was a faithful believer in the importance of personal appearance as a contributing factor in one's professional success. In the few seconds it takes someone to make a first impression, Chanel believed it was important to fill that time with nothing but class and elegance.

Her designs weren't like any other. They captured and owned the viewer's attention. The designs were unique, simple and practical. Just as a clothes rack features numerous clothing articles to choose from, website visitors have hundreds of thousands of sites to choose from. Fill the time visitors will first spend on the site with clear calls to action and pathways to the information you want them to find, or that they're looking for.

Whether a visitor wants to find product information, place an order or contact you, at its first impression, your site should exude impeccable clarity. Let them remember your brand, not an ugly experience they had when visiting the site.


To Be Blogged... No. 2. Be Different.