DCV '87
Client
DCV '87
Year
2025
Scope of Work
Lucian Clarke - DCV
Location
London
In this project, we were tasked with creating a digital home for DCV’87, the brand founded by Lucian Clarke. The website needed to reflect Lucian’s unique background as a Jamaican-born, London-raised skateboarder and his work with cultural icons like Virgil Abloh. The goal was to create a bold, future-facing website that channels both analog and digital aesthetics while being deeply embedded in skate culture.
Research & Discovery
In the discovery phase, we analysed various skate culture and streetwear sites, such as Sneeze Magazine, to understand design trends that speak to the target audience. We also looked into Lucian’s background and the culture of London, aiming to weave these elements into the digital experience. This phase highlighted the importance of symbolism, grunge aesthetics, and a bold visual approach.
Competitor Analysis Screenshots
In the discovery phase, a critical part of the process was analyzing competitors within the skate culture and streetwear space to understand industry trends and how digital design plays into the lifestyle and ethos of these brands. Our research focused on brands with a similar audience, such as Sneeze Magazine, Supreme, Palace Skateboards, and Stussy, as well as other influential skateboarders’ personal brands. By looking at these websites, we could identify key features that resonate with the audience, like grunge aesthetics, edgy typography, heavy use of video backgrounds, and interactive product displays.
I also wanted to look into high end fashion brands like Nour Hammour due to the fully customisable nature of Lucians brand and what he wants to offer his customers. As a result, we delved into customisable features and interactions from every stage of the product stage from initial viewpoint through to checkout.
The DCV’87 customer is Alex, a 22-year-old freelance graphic designer and skateboarder based in London. Alex is deeply immersed in skate culture, valuing authenticity, individuality, and self-expression. He’s always on the lookout for the latest streetwear trends that reflect his creative, non-conformist lifestyle.
Whether it’s through Instagram or YouTube, Alex stays connected with skateboarding influencers, streetwear brands, and cultural content, looking for something unique that aligns with his passions. He’s selective about the brands he supports, seeking those that genuinely represent the skateboarding community rather than mainstream, commercialised labels.
For Alex, DCV’87 resonates because it taps into his desire for authenticity and exclusivity. The brand’s design, inspired by Lucian Clarke’s unique perspective, offers an immersive shopping experience through interactive product views and video backgrounds. Features like limited-edition collaborations and culturally relevant visuals, such as the London skyline and Icelandic settings, engage Alex by making him feel connected to the brand’s story and lifestyle. This website design reflects Alex’s values, offering him not just clothing, but a piece of the skate culture he loves.
Wireframing & Prototyping
During the wireframing phase, we explored multiple layouts, keeping the user journey and simple navigation as the focal point. The challenge was to design an experience that was rich in imagery and interactive elements without overwhelming the user. Prototypes were then developed to visualise how users would interact with elements like the product loop and Mickey Mouse hands.
User Journey
The user journey begins when users land on the Home Page, where they're immediately immersed in the DCV’87 world through a bold video background. Clear CTAs lead them to key areas: Shop, Archive, and Blog. From here, users can easily explore the products in the Shop Page, where they interact with dynamic product loops and 360-degree views.
If they're more interested in the brand's heritage or past collections, they can dive into the Archive Page. For those looking for a deeper connection, the Blog offers a personal touch from Lucian Clarke, sharing his experiences and cultural insights.
When users add items to the cart, they can quickly access the Cart Page, seamlessly integrated with Shopify for a secure checkout experience. At any point, users can navigate back to the homepage via the DCV icon, or explore other sections through the sliding menus at the top and bottom of the screen. The journey is designed to be effortless, reflecting the fluidity and engagement central to the DCV’87 brand.
Site Map
The Site Map ensures an easy and intuitive navigation experience, with a focus on seamless transitions between key pages:
-Home Page: A visually immersive intro with video backgrounds and clear CTAs that guide users to the core areas: Shop, Archive, and Blog.
- Shop Page: An interactive space where users can browse products in a continuous loop with dynamic imagery and unique features like Mickey Mouse hands for rotating products.
- Product Pages: Each product has detailed views, simple navigation back to the homepage, and access to the Cart Page.
- Archive Page: A gallery of past collections, showcasing the brand’s evolution with exclusive items and a glowing globe feature for special collaborations.
- Blog Page: A personal space for Lucian to share updates, experiences, and stories from the world of DCV’87, helping deepen the connection with his audience.
- Cart Page: Clean and minimalistic, integrated with Shopify for an easy, secure checkout process.
4. Design & Development
The design phase involved translating our wireframes into a bold, interactive, and visually immersive site. The core of the design was rooted in symbolism and future aesthetics. We integrated live-action video backgrounds, interactive product loops, and playful, yet functional features like the Mickey Mouse hands to reflect the lifestyle essence of skateboarding culture.
Home Page
The Home Page offers a dynamic shopping experience with a personalised AI drawing by Lucian’s friend, adding a creative touch to the brand. Products are displayed in a continuous loop, with a sliding menu at the top and bottom for easy navigation to the shop, archive, blog, or homepage. On the product page, interactive Mickey Mouse hands let users rotate items for different views, while easy access to the cart and homepage ensures smooth navigation.
Two Iterations: Balancing UX and Creative Vision
In the early stages of the project, I explored two iterations for the navigation of the website. The first iteration featured a hamburger menu, which worked well from a design and UX perspective. It was clean, minimalist, and mobile-friendly, offering an intuitive solution for easy navigation. The hamburger menu is commonly used in modern web design, particularly for mobile layouts, as it saves space and keeps the interface clutter-free.
However, Lucian had a strong vision for the brand's unique aesthetic, wanting to integrate a rolling, repeating word loop (Shop, Blog, Gram, Cart) across the top and bottom of the homepage. This approach tied into the brand’s cultural essence and visual identity, adding movement and personality that aligned with DCV’87’s bold, dynamic style
While this design was exciting creatively, it required adjustments from a UX and accessibility standpoint. The looping words presented potential challenges for accessibility, such as ensuring legibility and avoiding motion sickness for users. It also needed to be optimised for both desktop and mobile views.
Ultimately, we decided to embrace Lucian’s vision and went with the rolling word loop. This approach allowed us to compromise between creative vision and UX principles, ensuring the final product stayed true to the brand while still offering a functional and accessible experience.
Sometimes, working with clients means adapting to their creative direction while balancing UX and accessibility considerations. In this case, Lucian's desired aesthetic took precedence, and I found a way to incorporate it seamlessly without compromising usability.
On the product page, users can interact with the product in a fun and intuitive way. Mickey Mouse hands allow them to see the product from multiple angles by rotating it, tapping into a playful yet functional aspect of the design. This interactive feature adds an element of fun while enhancing the user experience by providing detailed views of each product. Easy access to all key site areas is ensured, with a back button, a cart icon, and the DCV icon (which takes users back to the homepage) placed prominently for easy navigation.
For those interested in exploring DCV’87’s history and limited releases, the Archive Page allows users to discover past collections, including the exclusive DCV x DC Lucian Clarke shoes collab. When clicked, a video of the collaboration is displayed, showing the shoes in action, adding a dynamic and engaging layer to the user experience.
Once users have explored the brand’s offerings, they can easily add items to their cart and proceed to the Cart Page, integrated with Shopify for a smooth and secure checkout process. Throughout the site, easy navigation is maintained, with sliding menus and quick access to the homepage through the DCV icon. The flow is designed to be seamless, highlighting the brand’s creative ethos while maintaining an intuitive user experience.
Cart Page & Checkout
The Cart Page and Checkout process were integrated with Shopify to provide a secure and reliable transaction flow, while maintaining the brand’s DCV’87 aesthetic. When the cart is empty, users are greeted with a message saying “Go to Shop”, prompting them to continue exploring and adding items to their cart. This simple yet effective call-to-action ensures users are guided back to the Shop Page to continue their shopping experience.
Once items are added, the cart updates dynamically, showcasing the selected products. The cart design keeps the user experience clean and intuitive, while maintaining consistency with the site’s bold visual identity. Users can easily review their selections, adjust quantities, and proceed to checkout—all while enjoying a seamless, user-friendly journey.
The Shopify integration ensures a secure and optimized checkout experience, with custom styling that matches the overall aesthetic of the site. Whether on desktop or mobile, the checkout process remains smooth and frictionless, making it easy for users to complete their purchases without distraction.
The Mobile UI ensures that users have a smooth, visually rich experience on smaller screens. Given the importance of mobile shopping for younger, on-the-go users, the mobile version of the site maintains the same engaging aesthetics while ensuring usability.
The menu is accessible through a sliding loop on the top and bottom of the screen, optimised for mobile to allow for easy access to all key sections—shop, archive, blog, and home. The product pages maintain the interactive Mickey Mouse hands feature, but optimised for touch interfaces, allowing users to swipe or tap to view products from multiple angles.
On the cart page, the interface is streamlined for mobile users, with a simplified layout that still allows for quick editing of items, adjusting quantities, and proceeding to checkout without any visual clutter. Navigation remains intuitive, with key action buttons like continue shopping, checkout, and the cart summary easily accessible.
Challenges & Solutions
The design process wasn't without challenges. One major issue was ensuring that the raw, edgy aesthetic didn’t compromise the user experience. Balancing visually complex elements with a clean, navigable design required several iterations. The product loop and interactive hands were initially overwhelming, so we refined them to ensure the design remained engaging but not distracting.
The DCV’87 website captures Lucian Clarke’s unique vision, blending raw skate culture with modern digital aesthetics. The site’s interactive elements, lifestyle-driven content, and eCommerce functionality come together to create an immersive experience for visitors. Every page, feature, and interaction was designed to echo the energy of the DCV’87 brand while keeping user experience simple, intuitive, and engaging.
Aligning Design with DCV’87’s Identity
Throughout the design process, I worked closely with Lucian Clarke to ensure the website mirrored the DCV’87 brand—a unique blend of contemporary skate culture, bold aesthetics, and urban London influences. Lucian’s vision of incorporating movement into the design—like the looping text across the homepage—was key to reflecting the brand’s dynamic energy and cultural impact.
As we moved forward with the design, I balanced the need for a seamless user experience with the brand’s raw, unapologetic style. This meant making adjustments, like embracing the rolling words, even when it required creative compromises on UX, to stay true to the DCV’87 spirit.