Mika: Concept Project*
Role:
UX/UI Design, Brand Design, Squarespace Developer
Year:
2024
The Brief
Mika is a fictional sewing pattern brand focused on sustainable fashion, created by a solo designer to empower makers through thoughtful, eco-conscious patterns. The goal of this portfolio project was simple: design a concept website where Mika could sell directly to her customers, transitioning from Etsy, Instagram, and newsletters to a beautifully crafted Squarespace shop.
The Story
Mika is a sewing pattern company with a purpose: building a community of passionate makers while championing sustainable living. It was created and run by one designer (Mika!) who thoughtfully designs patterns to empower sewists to create, mend, and cherish their clothing, making a positive impact on the planet with every stitch.
Research & Audience Insight
To guide the design, I studied successful sewing pattern businesses, sustainability-focused brands, and broader e-commerce trends. A few key insights stood out:
Inspiration matters as much as function: Customers want beautiful imagery and styled samples to help them envision projects, but also need clarity in product presentation and instructions.
Community builds trust: sewing is highly social, and featuring customer makes, tutorials, or community highlights helps brands feel approachable and credible.
Sustainability is a strong differentiator: Brands with an eco-conscious message connect more deeply with modern sewists.
User experience must be seamless: Clear navigation, mobile responsiveness, and straightforward downloads are critical to reducing friction.
Credibility comes from storytelling: Professional photos, thoughtful copy, and an accessible design build confidence in both the brand and its products.
These insights shaped the design strategy and ensured that the final site addressed the priorities of Mika’s audience.
Taking what I’ve learned
The Solution
With these findings in mind, I designed a site that feels both professional and personable, balancing commerce with community:
Brand identity: A playful yet clean design, with bold fonts and a vibrant color palette that reflect Mika’s creative energy.
Clear navigation: Intuitive menus and filters make it easy for users to find patterns, tutorials, and resources.
Community touchpoints: Space for blog posts, tutorials, and customer stories supports engagement beyond transactions.
Optimized shop and blog experience: Squarespace’s features were enhanced with filtering and custom styling for browsing ease.
Accessible and responsive: The site is designed to meet accessibility standards and work seamlessly across devices.
Scalable structure: A blog, newsletter sign-up, and SEO-optimized pages lay the groundwork for future growth.
Accessible and modular code: Custom CSS and minimal JavaScript enhance UX, but all remains editable via Squarespace, no developer needed post-launch.
Intended Impact
Though Mika is a concept project, the design aims to:
Offer a user-friendly shop tailored to modern sewists and pattern makers.
Emphasize community and inspiration, not just transactions.
Signal professionalism and trust through messaging, visuals, and accessibility.
Provide a scalable foundation for content marketing, resources, and audience growth.
Reflection
This project allowed me to:
Design with both e-commerce and community in mind, critical for creative businesses.
Lean into SEO, responsive design, and accessibility as foundational, not optional.
Practice creating a Squarespace site that feels custom, yet remains user-manageable.
Bring storytelling, habit-forming UX, and branding into a single, cohesive concept.
Even as a hypothetical, Mika reflects how I approach real clients: with curiosity, empathy, and design that invites as much as it sells.