Reimagining SMYTHE: How 1r Transformed a Fashion Legacy Online

Friendship was the foundation for the fashion company, SMYTHE, as the two co-founders and designers set to launch the brand in 2004. Coming from two different business backgrounds and design styles, they were on a unified mission to perfect one thing: the women’s blazer. Advanced styling, methodical tailoring, impeccable construction, and designed to embolden the women who wear it; SMYTHE is the perfect, perfectly fitted blazer. After almost 20 years, they’ve expanded beyond blazers to a full ready-to-wear collection. The passion and methodology remain, as does the friendship.

SMYTHE approached 1r Agency with a clear budget and three specific goals. First, they sought to reimagine their front-end aesthetic and user experience while transitioning to a Shopify 2.0 theme. Second, they aimed to create more opportunities for brand exploration and education on their site. Lastly, they wanted to unify and consolidate their two existing websites for a more streamlined global reach.

Through a preliminary discovery phase, it was determined that SMYTHE could achieve its goals and stay within budget by utilizing a Shopify theme. Considering their current position and future growth aspirations, this approach offered a scalable solution. 1r’s Creative and UX teams conducted thorough research to identify the most suitable themes. Once a final theme was selected, 1r utilized SMYTHE's existing content to bring the new site to life. The last step in the decision-making process involved evaluating current third-party tools to identify which ones would effectively drive the business forward.

The new Shopify 2.0 site launched in early September, offering a personalized experience with features like Nosto for product recommendations, Gorgias for live chat, Klaviyo for email marketing, Sezzle for installment payments, and FourSixty for user-generated content. To unify the Canadian and international instances, 1r leveraged Shopify Markets.