1901 Shoes
A product-led e-commerce experience that makes fashion discovery feel curated without getting in the way of shopping.
E-commerce · Fashion · Retail Experience
Project type: Client project Project status: Live website Website: https://1901shoes.com/
Overview
1901 Shoes is a fashion footwear retailer with an e-commerce experience built around product discovery, new arrivals, best sellers and direct shopping.
The design challenge was to make the store feel aspirational enough for a fashion audience while keeping the shopping journey practical and easy to navigate.
The brief
Create an e-commerce experience that can:
- Present the footwear collection clearly.
- Help visitors discover new arrivals.
- Create a route into best-selling products.
- Support category-led browsing.
- Communicate product variants and pricing.
- Keep shopping actions visible throughout the journey.
- Connect the digital storefront with the wider retail presence.
Our approach
We approached the website around product discovery rather than a catalogue dump.
The homepage acts as a curated storefront. It uses a sequence of brand messaging, new arrivals, editorial merchandising and best sellers to create several entry points into the collection.
The experience is designed for two types of visitors:
The visitor who knows what they want can move quickly into a category or product.
The visitor who is browsing can discover products through curated sections.
Design decisions
Product-first hierarchy
The products remain the visual focus. Supporting content is there to help people shop rather than compete with the catalogue.
New-arrival discovery
New products are given their own section so repeat shoppers can quickly see what has changed.
Best-seller reassurance
Best sellers create a second discovery path for shoppers who prefer proven or popular choices.
Category-based navigation
The catalogue structure gives visitors a clearer way to narrow their search without forcing them through every product on the site.
Variant-aware product presentation
Products with multiple options are presented as products that require a deeper product-page interaction rather than pretending every listing is a single fixed item.
Commerce without visual clutter
The interface keeps conversion actions present while allowing the footwear imagery and merchandising to do most of the visual work.
Why we designed it this way
The purpose of a fashion store is not simply to display products. It is to help the right visitor move from interest → discovery → confidence → purchase.
The design therefore gives equal attention to merchandising and usability.
What this project demonstrates
1901 Shoes demonstrates Fortsrex’s ability to create a real e-commerce experience where visual presentation, category structure and commercial usability need to work together.
Outcome
This is a live client project. The case study intentionally avoids unsupported claims around sales, conversion or revenue.
Verified performance data can be added only where analytics or client-approved reporting exists.
Selected features
- Fashion e-commerce homepage
- Product discovery
- New arrivals
- Best sellers
- Category pages
- Product variants
- Product purchase pathways
- Physical-store information
- Nationwide delivery messaging
- Newsletter / retention CTA
The full page
This project is online — open 1901shoes.com in a new tab.
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