I am pretty picky when it comes to websites. I'm not a huge fan of fancy schmancy ones that take ages to load and are a bugger to navigate. For some brands this works, I'm sure, but for Little Death - nuhuh. I want to keep it simple, but with something a little different to add some subtle interest to the viewer and keep it modern and fresh. I looked at my competitors websites to see what they are up to on the world wide web. Fleet Ilya had a lovely one. Very simple and easy on the eye. GMG's was very basic indeed, perhaps a little too bog standard. Good imagery, but the text is squished to one side and in a default font which maybe she has tried to pass off as anti-branding Martin Margiela style, but just comes off as lazy. Zana Bayne is all about her blog. Her website is pretty much average, but her blog is updated regularly, and is more personal, building a rapport with her customer. The other two have blogs as well, but they're more of an archive of press cuttings.
Going back to websites, I also had a look at Machine A's. It has music, which I find off putting on any website to be honest. The last thing you want is some minimal techno tune interrupting George Michael in the middle of 'Faith' on your laptop while you desperately search for the mute option. Just plain annoying.
Their online shop is where it gets interesting. You click on a picture and it comes to life, the (rather pixellated) model stands around looking a bit bored, shifting her weight while you decide if you want what she's wearing or not. Once you've decided you do, you click on a little 'i' and it gives you the option of viewing the item properly, and buying it. Takes a little while to get to grips with, but I appreciate the effort and its certainly innovative.
The moving image seems to be all the rage at the moment, with Vice doing an article very recently on their website about GIFs as an (almost) art form.
I had an idea for my website which would make it a little innovative and different, but perhaps be easier to use. The idea was taken from Fleet Ilya's website, as well as Agent Provocateurs. A series of 6 GIFs, one of each product, that you can click on to take you to a more detailed look at them. I don't want them all playing as soon as you go on the website as that would be too full on and give someone a fit, but, how AP has an option of viewing their little home movie style sexy videos, I could direct the customer to it, or perhaps make it so when you hover over it, it plays. (might be getting a little too high tech now!) If not all 6, at least 1 on the homepage, like Fleet Ilya had at one point, which links to something, as a nice little touch.
As for the layout, something easy to navigate, like a clear option menu down the side, or images, which when hovered over, reveal what they link to. I want to avoid too much Flash, as I hate having to wait around for some animation to do its thing before I can even go on the website.
Some hand written text for the menu for example, or another subtly quirky graphic design element, might be a nice touch and in keeping with the zine.
I think a blog would be a good idea to go alongside the website and keep the customers updated on the brand.
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