How to create branding, website and product photography for a fashion e-commerce store: IKI case study

Many fashion e-commerce stores don’t fail because of their products, but because they look and feel like every other shop online. This case study shows how we built IKI - a brand inspired by Japanese philosophy through branding, website design, and product photography that turned simple reversible kimonos into a distinctive fashion identity.

September 30, 2025

Building a Complete Brand System for IKI

Honestly, we instantly fell in love with IKI’s concept. It wasn’t just about making kimonos or minimalist coats, it was about translating a whole layer of Japanese aesthetics into a wearable, modern format. Having lived across Asia ourselves, we felt deeply connected to the philosophy behind the brand.

But without clear branding and positioning, IKI risked becoming just another no-name online store, which didn’t want to happen. At Brand Doula, we already had previous experience of branding and building websites for e-commerce and our experience in content production for apparel made a perfect fit here.

So for IKI, we set out to create an entire brand system with a bundle: birth-to-market niche, audit, branding, website design, and content production.

But without strong branding and positioning, IKI risked blending into the crowd as just another anonymous online store, and that was not the future we envisioned. At Brand Doula, we had already built a track record creating e-commerce branding and websites, and our hands-on experience with apparel content production made this project a natural fit.

For IKI, we developed a complete brand system with a bundle: from niche definition and brand audit to full identity, website design, and content production.

1

Understanding brand personality and defining positioning for fashion brand

Step #1 for building a fashion e-commerce brand

IKI is built on the Japanese aesthetic principle iki (粋), which roughly translates as “stylish elegance.”

At its core, iki is about refined restraint, quiet sophistication, and living life with intensity and presence. It’s a paradoxical blend: relaxed but intentional, understated but full of meaning.

We thought of brands like The Row or Jil Sander: they don’t scream luxury, but whisper it through clean lines and carefully considered details. Although IKI was from a mid-segment, it needed to communicate in the same way, drawing in people who value subtlety and authenticity over flashy trends.

We translated the Japanese concept of iki into a fashion positioning: functional, reversible outerwear and timeless silhouettes that transcend age, size, and fleeting fashion cycles. A wardrobe that feels effortless yet carefully thought through. This became the core base for the company’s positioning.

2

Deep target audience research upon the fashion brand identity

Step #2 for building a fashion e-commerce brand

Who is the IKI woman? We needed to define it clearly before we went down to content and marketing strategy.

She’s a city dweller, leading an active lifestyle, channeling her energy into meaningful work. She’s drawn to art, literature, and travel. Her aesthetic is chic and effortless. Her makeup is discreet, her hairstyles are simple, outfits are relaxed but never careless.

In essence, she shares qualities with the Céline woman of Phoebe Philo’s era: understated, intellectual, bohemian in spirit, never rushing to “grow up” in the conventional sense. She prefers a restrained image with depth, reflecting her inner search for identity.

By mapping these qualities, we designed precise audience portraits that shaped the whole business strategy, from product design to marketing tone.

3

Building a visual identity upon the fashion brand positioning and audience profile

Step #3 for building a fashion e-commerce brand

For IKI, the visual identity had to feel like a quiet backdrop - something that carries its intricate philosophy but never steals the spotlight. We pulled inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints and kept the palette calm and sophisticated: deep navy (#001A43), muted gold (#B98C46), with soft seasonal accents that change with the collections.

For typography, we chose Linux Biolinum - a clean, balanced, modern but timeless font. The logo was arranged vertically, echoing the flow of Japanese kanji script. From the start, the system was designed to adapt across all formats: website, packaging, social icons, even the tiniest favicon. It wasn’t flashy but very memorable and reflected the brand identity.

This approach is close to what you see in Uniqlo’s identity, where a simple typographic system is transformed through vertical arrangement and cultural references. At the same time, it distances IKI from the purely Western minimalism of brands like COS or The Row, whose wordmarks are stripped down but detached from heritage. IKI’s logo does both: it carries the clarity of modern fashion branding, while quietly embedding Japanese philosophy into its very structure.

4

Website that serves as an online store for your fashion brand

Step #4 for building a fashion e-commerce brand

For fashion e-commerce, product presentation is everything. We designed IKI’s website to act not only as a sales channel but also as a storytelling platform.

The structure followed a clean, minimal hierarchy:

Homepage introducing the brand philosophy with a hero image and short manifesto.
Product catalog organized by categories and collections, with simple grid layouts that let fabrics and cuts speak for themselves.
Product cards with large imagery, zoom features, and detailed descriptions highlighting reversible design and fabric qualities.
About page to share IKI’s philosophy, linking the clothing back to Japanese aesthetics and the brand’s values.
Contact & policies pages to ensure trust and transparency, a must for new e-commerce brands.

Design-wise, the website leaned into negative space and neutral tones, keeping the interface invisible so the garments stood at the center. Navigation was intentionally simple—single-row menus, clean typography, and no unnecessary clutter. This mirrors the philosophy of restraint in the products themselves.

5

Product photography for a fashion e-commerce store

Step #5 for building a fashion e-commerce brand

For IKI, photography wasn’t just about showing the garments, it was about embodying the philosophy of iki. We shot the collection in a botanical garden and natural landscapes to reflect the brand’s balance of urban chic and natural harmony. The kimonos’ clean, reversible lines contrasted beautifully with waterfalls, bamboo, and stone textures — city-ready, yet deeply rooted in nature.

The models were styled to echo the human qualities of iki: light ease, minimal makeup, simple hair, elongated lines, and relaxed gestures. Slightly bent arms, a head turn, a step in motion, the slip of a coat — all created the impression of effortless elegance, natural poise, and moments caught mid-movement.

The result was imagery that blended editorial style with commercial clarity. Each photo carried not only the garment but also a feeling of quiet strength and fluid grace. This approach turned the lookbook into a storytelling tool, inviting customers to step into the IKI world.

Brand Doula insights for branding a fashion e-commerce store

For IKI, the answer to how to build a fashion e-commerce brand was in weaving philosophy into every touchpoint. The branding translated the Japanese idea of iki into a modern identity system. The website became a clean stage where collections could be discovered with ease, without distraction. And the photography brought it all to life, capturing kimonos in nature to show their duality: urban and practical, yet rooted in harmony and depth. Together, these elements turned IKI from a small project into a brand with a voice, a story, and a place in the fashion market.

Co-founder of Brand Doula

Katherine Neli

Expert in brand strategy and content production, with 8 years of experience across e-commerce, SaaS, and IT.

Co-founder of Brand Doula

Maria Glazkova

Entrepreneur and brand builder with 10+ years in branding and web design, ex-founder of Mon Bon and Cocodo Brando.

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