A Typology of Minimal Homepage Design: The Case of Global Fashion Brands

Abstract

Fashion brands appeal to consumers based primarily on their design. Fashion brand websites act as avenues of communication with a strong appeal on consumers’ online behavior. At the same time, their minimal design signals high quality and aesthetics. Fashion brands’ website design has attracted academic attention, yet there exists no study on specific design dimensions of minimal websites in the fashion sector. A content analysis on 198 fashion brand websites demonstrates that negative space, homogenous layout, and colorful images prevail in the minimal websites of fashion brands, while text is restricted. Further, in-depth interviews with five graphic designers provide evidence with respect to their perceptions of minimal website design, its signals and appropriateness in the case of fashion brands.