Reimagining the global flagship as a platform for discovery and effortless shopping.

Role
Visual Design Lead

Scope
UI Design
Prototyping
Design System
Icon Design

Agency
R/GA

Timeline
16 months

Overview

Following its 2003 acquisition, Converse's e-commerce ran on Nike's core architecture, meaning rigid content constraints and a diluted brand presence. Converse needed to break away from the mothership and migrate to Salesforce Commerce Cloud, building an independent digital flagship.

Over 16 months, from pitch to launch, I led visual design for this global overhaul, translating brand strategy into a cohesive, high-craft digital system, and shipping it end to end.

Challenge

Converse's e-commerce presence was rigid and diluted, boxed into Nike's core architecture since the 2003 acquisition. That friction dragged down business metrics and left the brand without a distinct voice online. Converse needed a platform built for its own identity, not a subset of Nike's.

Approach

Converse's audience doesn't pause life to "go shopping," they're constantly shopping. Drawing on that insight, we built the redesign around three pillars: elevated product storytelling, a best-in-class service experience, and a digital expression true to the Converse brand. More than an e-commerce destination, we built a platform for dialogue and collaboration, one that allows for effortless shopping while enabling discovery and cultivating relationships. A new site that better aligns with the brand vision: one as authentic, youthful, and daring as the people who champion it. 

In partnership with an Experience Designer, I designed and shipped end-to-end features across the site: navigation and footer systems, dynamic gridwalls with smart filtering, a streamlined Quickshop and cart flow, and premium experiences for limited-edition product drops. I also defined the global design system, UI patterns, and key interactions that held it all together, then acted as the design quality guardrail: aligning stakeholders during executive client demos and mentoring the team to pixel-perfect delivery.

Recognition

"JL was a consistent force and a hell of a designer during his time on Converse work. We always knew we were in good hands when he was touching a piece of our site."

Global Digital Experience Strategist, Converse

Impact

Conversion and other core e-commerce KPIs moved up organically post-launch (specifics under NDA).

Launched with zero paid PR, so the gains were driven by the redesign itself, not media spend.