Despite being an industry leader in their market, the Capezio web site lacked a cohesive design that complemented their traditional marketing and branding. The new site was to function as a source of product information, orginal content, and provide a historical perspective for this innovative organization.

Challenge
Many companies claim to be innovators. For Capezio, the proof is in the company archives. From humble beginnings as a shoe repair shop, the company now commands an impressive majority stake of the market for dance and sports shoes and equipment. The site was to provide product information, and industry-related content. More than just an online catalog, the site aimed to provide a platform for the dance industry, where professionals and afficionados could gather. The company wanted to potray themselves as elegant and classical, yet with a modern edge. The design was to appeal to a primarily female audience, but still read as gender friendly.

Solution
In order to appeal to a wide range of tastes, the final design uses a soft color palette. I decided to use photography as the main design element, because we could showcase the products in action, and lend a sense of grace and motion to the layout. A more graphical treatment was used for the background and accent elements to set up a dynamic tension. The home page uses a signature image of a ballet dancer, and a flourish adds a dash of elegance. Internal pages use a wide single column layout, with space for a graphical pull quote. Navigation occupies the left hand column, and the right side is used for illustrations.