Salon Giacomo Coiffure Elle et Lui
Web Case Study (2024)
Salon Giacomo Elle et Lui is a barber shop situated in Montreal-North originating from the 1960’s. The owner and head barber, Giacomo Delle Donne, immigrated as a teenager from Italy to Montreal and opened his own shop in 1961. For generations, clients have sat in his vintage orange barber chairs and shared countless stories. Giacomo’s has been a place for the community to come together, relax, chat, and have fun over a shot of espresso.
Project Description
For this project, I created a website for a client with no previous online presence. The purpose of the website is to consolidate scattered information and articles about the client's business from various online sources into one centralized webspace, making it easily accessible for everyone. I also modernized the brand to make it more suitable for a web application context.
Main Goals & Challenges
As the client did not have a previous website and any official online/social media presence, I had full creative freedom when it came time to design. Howevever, Giacomo already had a well-established brand identity that just needed contemporary updates and rejuvenation. There were many goals and challenges that came along with managing this newfound creative freedom while still expressing a profound respect for the business's history:
My Roles & Constraints
As I took on this branding and website creation project as a solo initiative with full creative freedom, I wore many different hats.
The Starting Point
Wireframes
These are the original wireframes that I used to base the design of the website off of. I wanted to highlight Giacomo and the true barber experience he provides to his clients through the layout.
Original Logo
To create the new logo for Salon Giacomo, I based myself off of the logo on his original business card to keep the authenticity and essence from the 60s. I worked on digitizing the logo with the help of Illustrator and Photoshop.
Logo Variations
During the creation of the new logo, I came up with multiple variations that modernized the logo while keeping the original 60s feeling. I sketched the logo out to incorporate its authentic hand drawn elements. To convey a vintage feeling, I focused on the typography and the crown element that replaces the dot on the “i”. Through these versions, I also attempted to add more balance and symmetry than in the original logo. I selected the first one as my final logo due to the aspect of imperfect vintage typography mixed with its cartoon like feel.
Colour Palette
I opted for a primary colour palette that features black, red, blue, grey, and white. These colors are reminiscent of traditional barber shop elements like the pole and chairs, giving my palette a classic appeal. The red that I used is the same red that is found in the original logo to preserve the nature and soul of the brand. In my illustrations, I incorporated secondary colors such as various shades of blue, yellow, and beige.
Fonts
The font pairing that I found combined modern fonts and vintage fonts to give the ideal balance between authenticity and freshness. The calligraphic font, LOBSTER by Google Fonts, is used for big headlines. The sans-serif font, RUBIK by Google Fonts,is used for body text and secondary headlines. These fonts fit with the playful look and feel of the website and branding.
Lobster
Rubik
Illustrated Icon Set
For the illustrations, I decided to highlight classic elements from barber shops. I also gave them a sewn patch texture to enhance the vintage ambience. I scattered them throughout the website and incorporated them as assets in the social media branding.
Target Audience Study
The target audience for Salon Giacomo is primarily men, particularly those of Italian descent who have been loyal customers for generations. The clientele includes a wide range of professionals from those in politics to construction, where a big part is retired. Moreover, most of the clients are multilingual where the four main languages include English, French, Italian, Turkish. The website primarily serves existing customers seeking salon information in one place, including older men, their children, and grandchildren. However, the use of cartoon inspired illustrations and increased social media presence also contributes to drawing in a younger audience. Although many clients may not be internet-savvy, the salon's reputation as a traditional barber shop draws men from across Montreal seeking a classic experience and affordable, stylish haircuts.
Social Media and Outreach Impact
I created an Instagram account for Salon Giacomo, providing them with a more widespread online presence to engage with a larger audience. The current content on the page consists of reposting different shoutouts from visitors. As the project is still ongoing, content creation for this account is currently underway. Future content will center around videos featuring the head barber, Giacomo, warmly welcoming clients and addressing the camera, along with images showcasing satisfied customers. Giacomo Coiffure has reached out to 70 new accounts and interacted with 15 distinct accounts. Additionally, the salon receives frequent shoutouts and mentions from prominent accounts like Insieme Montreal through Instagram.
Solution & Result
To complete the project successfully, I revisited the brand's origins, incorporating original salon elements into the logo redesign for authenticity. Choosing fonts and colors that echo the salon's original traits while adding a modern touch. Illustrations were based on real pictures to accurately portray Giacomo and salon elements, aiming to rejuvenate the established brand and appeal to a wider audience with a fresh, fun, and attractive style. Adopting a grandfatherly and welcoming tone on the website mirrors the salon experience, while including links to articles and testimonials adds credibility, showcasing the shop's impact.
What Did I Learn?
1. Recognizing the value of feedback, especially from peers and experienced professionals in web design, was crucial for this project, given its tight deadline. While in class, we had frequent feedback rounds with different groups. This system helped highlight key elements and showed me what I needed to prioritize to keep my project on the right track.
2. With unrestricted design freedom, creative autonomy, and flexible deadlines, making my own frequent decisions regarding branding, layout, content, and copywriting was challenging. While the project was thrilling when I first took it on, managing self-imposed deadlines was though. I would often push them back when I felt as though my work was not meeting my own requirements. As a result, the project extended beyond its intended timeframe.