Eric Opoku Design Portfolio
KENTEN HERITAGE STORE
Redefining the Digital Shopping Experience
Project Overview:
Kenten is a well-established retailer of culturally authentic African products. This project focused on designing a mobile-first e-commerce experience that extends Kenten’s trusted in-store presence into a digital platform.
The solution targets both loyal customers and a global audience seeking culturally rich textiles, enabling them to browse and purchase with confidence.
I led the UX/UI design process independently, from concept development to wireframing and prototyping, translating brand identity and user needs into a cohesive digital experience.
Role: UI/UX Designer
Timeline: 3 weeks
Problem Statement:
Users struggle to discover and purchase products from Kenten due to the lack of a digital experience, which limits access to cultural context, clear navigation, and an immersive shopping journey. These gaps make it difficult for users to fully understand the product's meaning, trust the product's quality, and make informed purchasing decisions.
The goal was to design a visually rich and intuitive e-commerce experience that improves discovery, builds trust, and reflects the brand's cultural depth.
User Research & Insights:
I communicated directly with the store owner and conducted user interviews and surveys to understand customer needs, behaviors, and pain points. I also reviewed comparable e-commerce platforms to identify strengths and gaps in digital shopping experiences. Key insights revealed the need for clearer product context, improved navigation, and a more visually immersive experience to build user confidence and support informed purchasing decisions.
Persona: Amina Bello
Age: 29
Location: Toronto, Canada
Occupation: Marketing Coordinator
Tech Comfort: High (mobile-first shopper)
Amina is a culturally conscious professional who values authentic African fashion and lifestyle products that reflect identity and craftsmanship. She frequently shops on her phone and expects a smooth, trustworthy purchasing experience. While she appreciates premium presentation, she becomes frustrated when product details are unclear, or checkout feels cumbersome.
Goals
-
Discover authentic African products easily
-
Feel confident about product quality and legitimacy
-
Complete purchases quickly on mobile
-
Track orders without friction
Pain Points
-
Inconsistent product presentation across marketplaces
-
Lack of trust signals during checkout
-
Too many steps in mobile purchasing flows
-
Poor image clarity or limited product views
Motivations
-
Cultural pride and self-expression
-
Appreciation for craftsmanship and quality
-
Desire for a polished, reliable shopping experience
-
Convenience of mobile commerce
Moodboard
Based on interviews with Kenten’s loyal customers and casual buyers, I identified key needs and behaviors, then created three (3) moodboards to define a cohesive, culturally authentic, and high-end visual direction aligned with the brand.
Rustic, Organic & Earthy
Bohemian, Elegant & Traditional
Regal, Luxury & Imperial
UI Inspiration Boards
The UI inspiration board explored premium e-commerce and editorial experiences, combining clean layouts, strong typography, and rich imagery. It emphasized high-end visual storytelling, balanced whitespace, and structured product presentation to reflect Kenten’s cultural authenticity while ensuring a modern, intuitive, and trustworthy shopping experience.
Rustic, Organic & Earthy
Bohemian, Elegant & Traditional
Regal, Luxury & Imperial
UI Library
The Kenten UI Library was built using Atomic Design, moving from foundational elements to complete pages to create a cohesive and scalable experience. Starting with a mobile-first approach, the system prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and ease of interaction. Modular, reusable components ensure consistency across collections while adapting seamlessly to changing content. Designed to scale, flexible grids allow the experience to extend to desktop, guiding users effortlessly from discovery to purchase.
Wireframing to High Fidelity
The wireframes mapped the full shopping journey, from discovery to checkout, focusing on clear structure, hierarchy, and seamless navigation. Informed by the UI inspiration board, these were translated into high-fidelity concepts, elevating typography, color, imagery, and spacing to reflect a premium, culturally rich experience. This led to six (6) conceptual designs, each exploring distinct visual directions while maintaining usability and a cohesive e-commerce flow.
High Fidelity Ideas
Six conceptual designs were developed to explore distinct visual directions while maintaining usability and a cohesive e-commerce flow. Each concept tested variations in layout, typography, color, and imagery to balance cultural storytelling with a seamless shopping experience.
High Fidelity Selections
I selected three concepts and developed key screens to visualize the final experience. Each explores distinct layouts and visual hierarchy. These concepts were evaluated for usability, brand alignment, and overall experience to determine the strongest direction.
High Fidelity Solution
The final design presents a mobile-first e-commerce experience that combines clear navigation with rich, culturally driven visuals, creating a seamless and intuitive journey from discovery to purchase.
Homepage
The homepage combines strong visuals with a clear layout to support discovery. A hero section sets the tone, followed by curated products and categories that guide users seamlessly through the experience.
Order Confirmation
Order Confirmation Screen
Reinforces trust with a clear summary of order details, delivery information, and next actions, ensuring a confident post-purchase experience.
Product Detail Page
Presents product imagery, pricing, and variants clearly, with simple selection options and related items to support confident purchasing.
Outcome
The final Kenten mobile experience transforms a culturally rich brand into a clear, high-performing e-commerce interface. It balances heritage-driven visuals with strong hierarchy and usability. A mobile-first UI library enables scalable browsing, consistent interactions, and confident purchasing. The end-to-end flow demonstrates a seamless, conversion-focused experience, positioning Kenten for future growth.
Reflection
I learned the importance of designing scalable systems that extend beyond mobile, ensuring consistency across devices and use cases. Building a structured UI library reinforced how reusable components support efficiency, clarity, and long-term growth.
Next time, I would validate designs earlier through usability testing, refine content and imagery for stronger brand consistency, and prepare a more detailed developer handoff with clear specifications, interactions, and accessibility considerations to ensure a smoother implementation.