SMPLFD Case Study
Client
SMPLFD
Partnership
Client / Agency
Services
- Identity
- Interactive
Notes
Releasing Q4 2022
SMPLFD is a Detroit-based clothing company, streetwear brand, custom screen printing and embroidery business all under one roof. SMPLFD specializes in wearables, merchandise, accessories and graphic design.
(Meet SMPLFD)
The Detroit-based, one-stop-shop for everything screen printing.
SMPLFD is well-known in the Metro Detroit area, not just for their screen printing work, but also for their ability to bring together the arts and music community with projects like Thriftworld. When SMPLFD reached out for help with their website, I was excited to be a part of their journey.
SMPLFD houses two business operations: one part clothing brand and one part screen printing service. Because their current website is built upon a site template that lacks their customization needs, the SMPLFD team has a hard time separating their two business entities.
(Web Presence)
An online store, a screen printing business, and a love letter to system defaults.
RCO designed a website that positions SMPLFD and SMPLFD Printing Co as related, yet separate businesses alongside an evolved brand voice.
The updated design adds nuanced updates to the notion of “system defaults” in a tongue-in-cheek, if-you-know-you-know manner.
The type system uses Arial and Times Now, a modern revival of Times New Roman. Paired with adjusted default colors, such as the deeply-pigmented blues, reds, and greens seen in early websites, a sense of nostalgia is communicated while the layout makes space for SMPLFD’s colorful graphics to shine.
Utilizing the Jamstack for e-commerce and conversion.
With SMPLFD’s website being multiple sites in one, we removed the reliance on Shopify’s templating engine and built an architecture centered around Sanity, React, and Shopify’s API.
By building the new design with a new tech stack that treats Shopify as a service instead of a hosting provider, publishing new content and website updates is far easier with no change to their inventory management and POS on Shopify.
