Lounge Lizard
Top web design and development firm. Specializes in online marketing.
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High-end web design, SEO and e-commerce with award winning results.
Sprung from a independent, local beginning, Hard Graft brings together a unique combination of wool and leather to craft premium bags and laptop sleeves. Their honest and high-quality products have quickly spread globally, and are in high demand. Born in the UK, and handcrafted in Italy by two hard working designers... We love the unique site navigation and simple, beige-toned approach.... More
Designer frames and eyeglasses from a modern company who are cutting out the middle-man and bringing low cost Rx frames and the "buy a pair, give a pair" profit sharing model to the overpriced eye wear market. In addition to a great, minimal design, they offer virtual try-ons and home try-ons - two well-executed concepts for this (mostly) online store. Great business model. We wish them great success.... More
The portfolio of a contemporary Viennese photographer Alexandra Hager. Her portraiture is a bizarre mix of Victorian era clothing, haunting settings, and some modern stylistic mash-ups. Often times, her subjects appear surreal and doll-like in their frozen stillness. Great editorial, and advertising work for European clients. Nice simple Flash site.... More
Although it looks like a Swedish version of The Gap, Martin + Osa is actually an American Eagle Outfitters company. The name comes from a pair of early 20th century naturalists, photographers and safari adventurers from Kansas, named Martin and Osa Johnson. We really liked the site's simplicity, and we found the 'Layer Your Own Look' feature to be a pretty slick idea for stimulating multiple purchases.... More
Five solid series of designs bringing together the various sections of the Converse sneakers site for the German market. From history, to clothing & campaigns, the design style is unified by a consistent navigation style and appearance. The true highlight is the "Katalog" section, where you can zoom into a large star arrangement which is made up of hundreds of converse sneaker designs. On the flip-side, the site features an annoying video host, who pops up and acts bored every time you don't click something immediately.... More
A great use of Flash zoom with tasty photo-realistic illustrations strikes the right note, and makes this professional photography portfolio a real treat to explore. A perfect, gritty little site for a very interesting photographer who captures the beauty, sadness, and humor, of the briefest of passing moments.... More
Part design, part stylist, part artist, Chris Benz believes in the marriage of fashion with style, as one sophisticated artistic whole. His style emphasizes layers and an innovative color palette, which is reflected beautifully in this patchwork scrapbook-style website design.... More
Started in New York City in 1997, Theory is a fashion line that was spun out of great fitting pants. In the last ten years, Theory has established a modern, line of comfortable clothes for both men and women, while also involving themselves in projects that elevate and inspire, such as the The Theory Icon Project. Overall, Theory has a smart brand site, with widgets, a customizable home page, interactive map, visual search tools, large video and other features. Also check out the create-your-own look section. A well-rounded design production.... More
Revamped and refreshed, the new Stella McCartney site invites users to explore this already iconic, yet always fun and flirty brand. Dynamic content landing pages, user-controlled runway videos, and a new Stella’s World section with behind the scenes Stella flicks complete this site redesign. We liked how the staggered grid design in a minimal, peach-toned setting creates a pleasing, "sticky" site. Plus, there are some nice contemporary typographic choices. Fully-transactional online boutique coming in 2008.... More
This three person photo production company located in Spain has a great minimal site with nice blocked out type and very simple functionality. It's a great way to peruse the work of these three artists and lends itself well to the overall cohesion of the site. Overall, the site bridges the gap between styles, and brings the fashion and advertising works – which already have a certain raw and edgy similarity – even closer together.... More
Leave it to a Berlin-based photographer to get his online photo portfolio done right... Well, at least 99% percent right! There's only a couple things we would change to make this site perfect. But first, we liked the way the interface gave you a complete visual overview of each area—using a sepia-toned slice of each campaign. Second, we loved the way the flipping through the pages required no "back/previous" button schema. And third, we even liked the photography! So what's the 1% problem? Well, who really cares... close enough!... More
Does the world need another sports clothing company? Absolutely—when that company such as nau sets forth with a new business paradigm... a company that puts design and functionality first in both their business philosophy and the development of their products. With the goal in mind to create something other than a business with "profit" as their bottom line, nau is unique. It is a company looking to profit from the ways they can share and sustain beauty, and positively change the conditions of conventional commerce. When companies take action like this, we all profit! Simply an amazing grid-based design, fabulous functionality, photography, and excellent interface design.... More
An interesting take on the fashion catwalk, Clara Collins (France) uses Flash and creative photography to present several digital "flip-books" of their womens line of clothing. Each flip book has two sides, and can be reversed and animated by using a minimal control panel. While we found the (excellent) photographs are a bit on the small side for viewing the actual clothes, the entire collection in each "book" tells a nice story with stop-motion photography that does, by itself, enhance the brand attributes of the label. Very well executed, and high marks for originality in combining traditional photography with Flash to create something more than your standard online interaction.... More
Launched back in August 2006, we kind of missed this cool sneaker teaser for Nike Hybrids... It features a beautifully rendered animated collage of colors and shapes telling the story of the chaotic aftermath of a fictional galactic impact. What it promotes is the mashing-up of multiple styles of Nike sneakers into hybrid designs. We're not sneaker crazy enough to know if these items are still available, but we are aware enough to know that sneaker freakers totally lost it when they saw this video (player comes with an integrated mini-site). Last year? Yes... But still very cutting edge. Overall design by Odopod with Flash engineering, UI by Qawsa.... More
Where would the bikini be without Brazilian babes on sun-burnt beaches? Well, to answer that rhetorical question, Hope – a Brazilian company with 40 years of experience – brings us a sexy Flash site showcasing their line of lingere, bikinis and accessories. Surely, when working with such photogenic subjects, half the work is already complete... But through the use of light curved lines, smooth transitions, and (our favorite) the 'dial-a-nipple' navigation wheel, the site elevates the subject matter into a dreamy state of sensuality.... More
A new rebranding is unveiled for fashion icon John Varvatos' online store—it sets a nice dark and gritty mood, which is enhanced by the homepage focus on rock star-driven ad campaigns. The rest of the experience is centered around the user's needs and the attention to detail in John Varvatos' clothes, all presented within a unique Flash-based navigational environment.... More
etnies, the sports brand that all the skater kids love, has recently released a massive site(s) for its many different products. Basically, it's 8 sites rolled into one, under a plywood branded umbrella, with numerous different blogs and lines of shoes and clothing for every extreme sport you could image. We love the dark woody branding and be sure to catch the etnies Girls site too—it's a little different, and quite nice.... More
This dark and lovley site for Wrangler Jeans in Europe has some really cool interactive Flash feedback, photos, and illustrations that certainly give this old-school brand some much needed modern mystique. Defintely bringing the cool back to the denim addicted, this site lays a natural foundation for some re-branding Wrangler's of original name, Blue Bell, which is now is own sub-line of high-end jeans fabrics called Blue Bella.... More
We're loving the clean, minimal site of this travel and people photographer from Copenhagen, Denmark. The presentations and grouping really add something to the photos, which get the pro treatment and feel as if they were presented in a type of mini-gallery. Everything here is done right to give these images the showcase and platform they deserve as conceptual collections. We especially liked the Faces of New York exhibit, and a few other urban photos that have some of the feel of Garry Winogrand photos from 50's and 60's New York.... More
Welcome to the little world of P'tit Nathan-Baume, Winter collection 2006, and this darling little site for a kids line of clothing from Nathan-Baume. Using very few words at all, this minimal creation is a simple showcase of the fashion work using photos only. If you want more content besides little fairy dresses and earthy kids boots (which seem way too clunky for any normal kids), you'll want to surf over to "Mammy's Site" which is actually the site of Nathan Baume proper (http://www.nathan-baume.com/).... More
La Moi captures the soft feminine qualities of a design made for a fashionable little clothing company based in Cantabria, Spain. The delicate lines, soft transitions and allusions to movie star glamour - think "Breakfast at Tiffanies" - make this a perfect place to sell these floral creations and dainty clothes of these designers.... More
In a very refined showcase of high-end luxury handbags, clothes, jewelery and pieces for the home, the Bottega Veneta site sets a smooth and sophisticated presence—the site almost appears to breathe with a sensuous, earthly glow. While the products are certainly driven by perfect product shots, the pleasing colors and minimal Flash effects add the right lush touch. Specifically we enjoyed the light pencil overlays in the Home Collection area. Yes, each area has its own special finishings... and from end-to-end, the Bottega Veneta site is sexy perfection in a sumptuous shell.... More
I've always personally considered myself somewhat of a Naked Freak... meaning I have no tatoos or piercings... and that's just been my preference. But Beautiful Freak has a beautiful website that showcases a style of tatooing that I've always thought is the only way to do tatoos... And that is with a personalized style and custom fit. Seriously, what's the point of needling indelible ink into your skin if it's the same artwork that Bob from Nowheresville has... and he got it before you did? None... Therefore, if you are into a style of tribal, abstract or even geometric, but don't want to copy Bob, then Beautiful Freak is the place to experiment with your custom fit and personalized pattern. The site is so nice, it even made me consider getting a piercing... but of course, it would tastefully complement my new custom tatoo.... More
Had you never been to Egypt proper and you plan to, but haven't had the chance yet... or even if you were turned away at the border (we were!) and you can only get your fix by seeing the Giza pyramids on TV, then this one page wonder of a web site will virtually whisk you away to the big pyramids of Egypt in ancient Egyptian style. Everything you wanted to see in one trip is presented in nicely made QTVR panoramas and photos, framed by hieroglyphics, and it even comes complete with tourists! Only covering one area at this time, Digital Egypt is a great themed design and amateur visual resource for taking a peek at Giza, Egypt.... More
Zaum is a small fashion laboratory that creates progressive purses, bags and accessories for both your home and travel excursions. Each purse or bag is handmade with a bright palette of colors that accentuates their belief that everyone should enjoy what they wear and add color to the world at the same time. The site is crisp and functional, with an easily understood navigation and great product shots... and because of the limited green color employed as the site background, each colorful product they display has twice as much visual power on the screen. An overall tight production.... More
Visit Ron Berg's photo-folio and you'll be greeted by a large-screen site, upbeat music, a rapid array of images and a friendly "hello". The site features Ron Berg's lifestyle and advertising photography, plus a few little extras, like an insider’s view of his truly sick studio. The emphasis here is on personality, which emerges through the copy and user-friendly navigation that gets you into exploring the site. For a genre of design that gets overly wrapped up in the mystery of puzzling interfaces, this site is a refreshing alternative that opens up the door on the "dark room".... More
The new D&G Time web site for watches features a truly advanced navigaton concept, beautiful design and original sound. Designed and developed by Koinema, the site operates like clockwork precision, allowing you to either narrow down these luxury wrist watches by color, type and styling, or simply spin the wheel and let D&G pick a random watch for you to view. Built entirely in Flash, the circular navigation is actually a powerful sorting device... yet unlike a straight database list, it is more like a Rolodex (not a Rolex) of watches that is fun to use and explore.... More
Hummingbirds, asymmetrical berries and mathematical rain are just a few of designs you'll find in this beautiful site for a custom wallpaper design studio. Why frame your art when you can have it as a repeating pattern all over your walls? Porter Teleo puts the art back into wallpaper by using very minimal concepts - a type of Japanese sensibility - and abstract shapes incorporated into harmonious color schemes. And the site, designed by Shawn Sanem Art & Design, brings out all the beauty of the art inside by allowing it to take center stage. It's a perfect harmony of art, product and online visibility vehicle.... More
No one is better at misappropriating American words than the Japanese. Pile Driver is no exception, for we certainly get an example of their 'crushing attitude' from the many photos of kittens on their "about us" page. Entirely written in Japanese, Pile is actually a photographer agency site with an exclusive list of Japanese clients, who by the way, are mostly proficient at stills and product shots. Besides the name itself, we also really liked the delicate touch exhibited in the navigation. Not too much scary or intimidating here... just pure elegance personified in the smooth web pages of the Pile Driver company.... More
Every once in a while, we come across a site or portfolio that truly breaks new ground in interaction and interface design... Of course, you don't need to read any farther to know what you can only experience by visiting the site. But let's just fill in the blanks; This is an art and industrial design portfolio website for the works of a creative duo from Hungary. Spavia (both sections) contains artworks and projects in ceramics and porcelain, silicate design products, paintings, photograms and photography. Kudos go out to these two who have obviously contemplated the medium (Flash) and made their portfolio very easy to use and understand, while also developing a highly original creation. (Added HINT: Use intuitive keyboard buttons to "walk" through instead of clicking.)... More
Many new photographer' sites are being pulled into this direction... because it works. A simple, intuitive photo delivery vehicle for a NYC-based photog.... More
Found objects d'art. Age, sepia-tones, hair-do's, hats, funny, yellow, family... or... things we associate with old photos.... More
addicted to lomography If you've ever seen one of the richly colored, blurred-out images captured by a Lomo camera, then you already know.. but knowing is only half the battle. The rest is here.... More
Live from Poland, enjoy the great black and white photography of 'Alabama' in this painstakingly detailed site. Very nice.... More
If you like Marc Ecko, L-R-G, Hip-Hop, Brooklyn, Graffiti... (the list goes on) then this is basically the crew that started it all. Urban fashion in a simple interface:... More
Dear Everyone, Please come see me. I am from Italy and I have lots and lots of pictures taken around the world, mostly focusing on street art or graffiti. The images here have been stylized such that they appear to have been airbrushed and, in my case, that creates something wonderful out of something otherwise banal. Add that to my ace navigation and clean graphic design, and I'm definitely worth a visit. Love, Galman - Dirty Photos P.S. - Don't forget to check out the "videos" portfolio.... More
Writing yet another page in the book of branding, ecko, one of our favorite sites, again stitches together fashion, typography, bold color and innovative Flash navigations into an overall great redesign. But even if you understand that commercial fashion demands a complete overhaul for each season, we still feel an archive section for the past designs is sorely missing. We're also aware that this new area is slightly thinner than versions of the past and we wonder if the quality can be sustained for versions of the future. We certainly hope so, because we're already looking forward to the next one.... More
This sleepy narrative recalls all the slow and hot feelings of baking under the Midwest sun in summertime. The site may be best compared to a CD/kiosk of sorts with its focus on photography, large images and audio track which replaces the usual need for text. Overall, the site provides a nice layered patchwork feel which seems appropriate for the client, Kodak, in this case.... More
Wormholes could be described as an "interactive documentary" of friendship and the everyday life of two people. You can experience their everyday-life-environments in nature and inside their homes where you can "go-in" their more personal things. There's an interactive layer on top of the pictures that creates another stage of reality linked with wormholes... the ways you choose can be different every time, and the first time is like an uncontrolled random exploration. Photographed by: Thorsten Kloepfer (Ten)... More
A photographers' site where the design and navigation rises to the occasion to compliment the photography with the utmost style. The design itself articulates the mood of Aaron's photography from the start, while the gallery navigation plays with several metaphors and relationships between camera, subject and viewer. Special attention is given to enabling the user who is thankfully presented the director's throne and unbowed by any overbearance of design.... More
Another Global presentation, this Swedish based Magazine put together a great Flash site that effectively mirrors their stylish, European and minimalist design approaches. The clean, photo-derived animation and outlines all come together quite beautifully to create an overall great atmosphere and a stylish platform for discovery.... More
A great digital animated photo-essay of the hustle and bustle of New York City life, including the many discoveries overlooked by the casual observer. Chris Pacetti of P2 creates a visually rich picture of his NYC as he tucks in urban facts and meaningfull content within the hectic design metaphor to provoke your thoughts and conceptions about the Big Apple.... More
Blue Marlin sells hand- stiched baseball caps from bygone eras. This is a sharp, appropriate and instantly classic site design. Blue is beatifully branded, following a unique and picturesque design throughout the site and navigation. Blue's inner pages are thoughtfull, clean and easy to use. The products really shine on this site.... More
This blue wonder evokes the hip attitude of Diesel's younger fashion-hungry following while still maintaining a clean and refined structure. Newly redesigned in 2000. The design maintains it's purpose of sales by allowing users to easily purchase clothes from their online catalogue and creating an entertaining and easily understandable interface. So far, this site sells gear only to those living in the UK. I suppose a worldwide store is currently in development. If you have visited before, you will notice that Diesel has made a lot of progress on their site(s). The site for the Spring-Summer 98 Collection is very nice, and to see more of the Diesel design, start to explore at the Diesel Home. This site has been nicely redesigned in 2000. Check it out.... More
Clean, autumnal and classic - and that's just the clothes. The site for this Italian women's clothing designer, Max Aria, features a tight knit of swiss block structures that form a sensory stage for both the models and the fashion. Seductive and crafty, the tonal elements of each section carefully compliment the light and textured line of clothes.... More
A sophisticated pop-up window highlights a range of style photography in this portfolio. The layout is intuitive, clean, and expandable. A delicate composition, this concept lends to the interaction, providing a sense of discovery. This site has since been undesigned for the worse.... More
Yes, it's a pornography site, and you'll have to pay to see (most of) the pictures, but for what it's worth, it's the first smut site that actually considers navigation and design - and it's worth the wait. Redesigned since this review. Svelte photo-illustration combined with original navigational schemes. The thoughtful use of black & white imagery made pages download moderately fast, while the graphics were cutting edge for sex-sites.... More
