Kohler Brand Platform Redesign
Leading 0→1 design for two DTC brands across ecommerce and design systems
TL;DR
Role: Lead Product Designer
Team: 4 designers, 2 PMs
Timeline: 6 months
Deliverables: Design system, mobile-first e-commerce redesign, annotated handoff docs
Wins: Unified design across two brands; built a scalable system from scratch
Impact: Relaunched two DTC e-commerce experiences with a shared, modern design system
Challenge
Kohler needed a digital refresh across two brands with inconsistent design patterns and outdated mobile experiences. We had to move fast, build from scratch, and deliver something scalable—with an emphasis on clarity, responsiveness, and developer-ready output.
Role
I led end-to-end design for two Kohler-owned brands, guiding a small design team through the creation of a new design system and mobile-first ecommerce platform. I managed competitive audits, user research, UX design, visual systems, and design handoff to developers.
Approach
I led the project from 0→1 through the following stages:
- Competitive Audit: Analyzed ecommerce trends and category standards
- User Research: Identified pain points and conversion blockers
- Wireframing & Prototyping: Built mobile-first UX flows across PDP, cart, checkout, and homepage
- Design System Creation: Established foundational tokens, components, and usage guidelines
- Developer Handoff: Delivered detailed specs, responsive annotations, and documentation to ensure smooth implementation
Impact
The work modernized both brands’ digital presence, improved mobile usability, and created a shared design language that scaled across teams and components. I built a full-stack design system and applied it directly to ecommerce flows—from homepage through checkout.
Results
- Launched modern, cohesive ecommerce experiences across two Kohler brands
- Delivered a custom design system that scaled across multiple product teams
- Improved mobile UX through better IA, faster interactions, and cleaner visual hierarchy
- Streamlined handoff through annotated files and reusable documentation
Reflection
This project was a perfect blend of brand, systems, and UX thinking. Building the system alongside the ecommerce flows ensured every design decision was both reusable and rooted in real user behavior. If expanded, I’d layer in motion guidelines and accessibility audits to deepen the system’s maturity.