Crown Nine
Wedding & Fine Jewelry
Strategic re-branding and elevated Shopify website design for a modern heirloom jewelry studio based in California.
Art Direction for Photography
(Campaign, Ecomm Product)
Photo Re-touching
Image Curation
Product Curation
Web Design
Social Media Management
Services
Brand Strategy
Brand Creative Direction
Brand Messaging
Brand Identity
Copy Writing
Packaging
Print Design
The Goal – We set out to reimagine Crown Nine as a modern heritage brand, one that felt luxurious yet grounded, tactile yet timeless. The goal was to reflect the brand’s values of inclusivity, slow fashion, and meaningful adornment while increasing conversion, average order value, and brand loyalty online.
The Challenge – Crown Nine is a handcrafted fine jewelry brand rooted in story, symbolism, and slow fashion. As the business transitioned from a brick-and-mortar shop to growing a national e-commerce presence, the goal was to build a brand strategy and visual identity that felt elevated yet approachable. The rebrand centered on romantic, textural storytelling to express the emotional resonance of modern heirlooms. We created a refined brand identity, curated brand messaging, and a photography-forward Shopify website designed to convert while creating connection. The result is a cohesive, editorial brand experience that reflects the richness of each piece and the warmth of the customer journey.
Brand Strategy
For Crown Nine, we developed a comprehensive brand strategy that reshaped the business. We began with an in-depth brand discovery process, including founder and team interviews, audience mapping, and competitor research. From that, we developed the brand’s foundation by articulating the purpose, vision, and mission behind the brand. Through guided workshops with the founder, we uncovered the heart of Crown Nine: a jewelry studio that honors craftsmanship and inclusivity. We helped define the brand’s core values—approachability, warmth, joy, California lifestyle—and used them to inform tone, visual direction, and customer experience.
We also clarified the brand’s target audience and developed in-depth customer profiles, brand muses, and community archetypes. These personas allowed us to map user journeys and tell richer stories in both visuals and language.
Crown Nine's brand position was carefully researched and defined. We evaluated key competitors, identified whitespace in the market, and positioned the brand as an inclusive yet elevated alternative in the fine jewelry landscape. With a compelling brand promise and messaging that speaks to both the emotional and practical needs of the customer, Crown Nine became a brand that not only sells products—but stands for something.
Our strategy also included:
Brand voice, tone, and messaging guidelines.
Creative direction for all brand photography and visual content.
Social media art direction, including concepts for Instagram styling and visual rhythm.
Planning and talent sourcing for photoshoots including e-commerce product photography (product silhouettes, detail images, model) and campaign photography (collections, campaigns)
Website copywriting, reflecting the brand’s new voice and story-driven approach
This strategy was documented in a comprehensive brand books including Brand Strategy, Brand Guidelines, and Art Direction decks and shared with internal and external collaborators to ensure consistency across all brand touch-points. From this foundation, Crown Nine was able to evolve its brand with integrity, expand into new markets, and strengthen its emotional connection with customers through every detail.
PRIMARY WORDMARK
The new brand identity focused on timeless elegance with a tactile edge. Designed with a refined sans-serif typeface, the letterforms feature elongated terminals and subtle sharp details that give a nod to traditional serif fonts—offering just enough character to feel elevated, while staying clean and minimal. This creates a visual identity that feels classic yet current, mirroring Crown Nine’s approach to jewelry: artistic, enduring, and thoughtfully made. The overall tone is elegant, approachable, and quietly confident—designed to resonate with a modern audience seeking meaning, beauty, and individuality in their adornment.
Custom Shopify Website Design
We designed a fully-custom Shopify website for Crown Nine that beautifully showcases the brand’s fine jewelry offerings while enhancing the customer experience at every touchpoint. Built with a mobile-first mindset and grounded in editorial elegance, the site features immersive full-screen imagery, refined typography, and intuitive navigation.
E-Commerce Product Page DESIGN
Our goal was to create an online shopping experience that felt just as elevated and thoughtful as visiting a boutique in person. From engagement rings to everyday heirlooms, each product page was meticulously designed to make customization seamless—with extensive customizable options on the product page, clear descriptions, and a clean, structured layout that builds trust and supports conversion.
BOUTIQUE website design
The new e-commerce website not only reflects the romantic, modern aesthetic of Crown Nine, but also empowers the customer with clarity and ease. Whether browsing collections, learning about sustainable materials, or placing a custom order, the experience feels effortless, beautiful, and deeply connected to the brand’s values.
This transformation positioned Crown Nine to grow its national presence and better serve its audience—providing a high-end, approachable shopping experience that aligns with the brand’s ethos of artisan craftsmanship and inclusive storytelling.
Creative Direction
for Brand Photography
To bring the Crown Nine rebrand to life visually, we developed the creative direction for brand photoshoots that captures the emotional and tactile essence of the jewelry. Our goal was to translate the brand's ethos—handcrafted quality, romantic texture, and inclusive beauty—into compelling imagery that resonates with the customer.
Creative Direction
By establishing direction for the visual storytelling across multiple types of photoshoots, we ensured consistency in brand tone and aesthetic—from macro product details to lifestyle moments. The result was a rich visual library of brand photography that elevated the brand across all platforms—website, Instagram, email marketing, and packaging—while attracting the right audience and reinforcing the brand's premium position in the artisan fine jewelry market.
Art Direction
We developed detailed art direction decks to guide each shoot, including mood, lighting, fabric, wardrobe, and prop styling. Whether for campaign imagery, e-commerce product photography, or social content, each photo was thoughtfully planned to reflect Crown Nine’s warm, artistic, and modern identity.
We also recommended trusted photographers for both campaign and product photography and provided the in-house photography production team with guidance to bring the vision to life. This holistic approach ensured every image felt timeless, authentic, and on-brand.
Themes
We developed visual themes centered on welcoming warmth and romance through texture—a concept that spoke to Crown Nine’s artisan roots and its celebration of personal milestones. Our art direction for the photoshoots was carefully considered, guiding every element to create a cohesive and emotionally resonant experience.
Details
We provided detailed direction for lighting that felt soft and natural, evoking intimacy and elegance. For backdrops and surfaces, we chose materials with tactile richness—linen, raw wood, and stone—to echo the handmade quality of the jewelry. Fabric draping, natural props, and minimal styling helped elevate the brand without feeling overly polished. We also guided wardrobe styling to reflect the modern, confident woman: relaxed silhouettes in tonal palettes that let the jewelry shine.
Even the subtleties of hair and makeup were considered—soft textures, natural skin, and lived-in waves—to evoke a feeling of authenticity and natural beauty. For poses, we favored moments that felt real and human: gestures of self-adornment, connection, and quiet celebration. Altogether, these creative choices helped bring Crown Nine’s vision to life, connecting each image back to the brand's essence—romantic, grounded, and deeply personal.
Creative Direction for Product Photography (ECOMmerce)
Model & product listing images – When shooting the product detail images and when the product is shown on the model, it was important to have consistency in scale. The goal was to represent the product as accurately as possible, showing the scale of the diamonds and the rings in an extremely consistent manner, to make it possible for a customer to compare rings side by side with any of the brand catalog photography.
Creative Direction for Product Photography (ECOMmerce)
Product silhouettes – We directed ecommerce photography to feel elevated, consistent, and deeply aligned with the brand’s values. Each product was captured with attention to detail—accurate color, scale, and material were prioritized to ensure customers could shop with confidence. Clean, natural lighting and subtle shadows allowed the craftsmanship to speak for itself, while thoughtful styling brought a sense of quiet luxury. Our goal was to create a seamless experience between product detail pages and the broader brand story—where every image reflects Crown Nine’s commitment to craftsmanship, artistry, transparency, and timeless design. With the silhouette product photography, we aimed for consistency in gold color, scale, and accuracy to the diamond.
Results and Impact
The Crown Nine re-branding created a cohesive and elevated brand experience across every touchpoint—from messaging and photography to packaging and web design. With a refined visual identity and strategic brand storytelling, Crown Nine deepened emotional connection with its audience and stood out in the competitive landscape of artisan wedding and fine jewelry. The new Shopify website improved the customer experience, providing clarity, ease of use, and a polished look that reflected the value of the products. The photography and art direction brought consistency and sophistication to product launches, social media, and email marketing. Ultimately, the rebrand positioned Crown Nine as a modern heirloom jewelry brand that was both approachable and luxurious—capturing the essence of meaningful craftsmanship and lasting beauty.
Key outcomes–
A brand that felt authentic to the founder and resonated with her ideal customer
A website designed to convert with storytelling and beauty at its core
An elevated brand experience that increased confidence, cohesion, and clarity across all platforms
The founder was empowered to continue producing photoshoots and content that followed the brand direction we established, thanks to the tools and creative clarity we delivered.