Designer Alexandra O'Neill launched her luxury womenswear label, Markarian, in 2017 in order to create clothing that's sharply tailored, distinctly feminine and exciting to wear.
All pieces are made by hand in an atelier located in New York City's storied West Village by a small, hard-working team – and it was important to them that their ecommerce site reflected the same level of craftsmanship and attention to detail as their bespoke couture.
When Markarian burst onto the national scene, they chose Pact to help them reimagine their digital experience.
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Markarian Goes to Washington... and Beyond
Despite being somewhat new to the scene, Markarian became a household name when the First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, stepped onto the inaugural stage outfitted in a custom Markarian piece, a velvet-trimmed tweed jacket and ocean blue dress with hand-embroidered crystals. Thanks to this high-profile appearance, the brand saw a significant uptick in consumer interest and site traffic.
Long loved by singer Lizzo and actresses Carey Mulligan, Beanie Feldstein and Kerry Washington, Markarian began its transition from fashion's best-kept secret to the national stage.
Commerce that Shines
When redesigning the commerce experience, it was important for us to imagine how little touches – such as ornamental typography, bold imagery and declarative statements – could help tell a more robust story about the brand.
Markarian has three distinct areas of focus that set the brand apart: whimsical clothing, made by hand and made to order to be more thoughtful about the environmental effects of production. We wanted to amplify these values.
The Art of Slow Fashion
The beauty of Markarian's approach to fashion is its approach to sustainability. Every piece is intentionally produced to reduce waste, even though this philosophy runs counter to what customers expect in the always-on, Amazon-powered economy of direct-to-consumer instant gratification.
We worked closely with Markarian's team to shift the messaging to communicate the importance of this environmentally considerate approach, reinforcing the brand's personal touch at every turn.
