Taylor Stitch (2015 website)
Nice jacket, but you’re wearing your apostrophe inside out. That’s an opening quotation mark. The abbreviation for 1968 is ’68.
Taylor Stitch is a modern, handmade clothing brand that clearly put some thought into their online shopping experience. The photography is excellent. The typeface selection and identity reflect sound decisions. Yet the site shows a lack of follow-through on the typographical details.
The logo is set in the simple tracked caps of Trade Gothic Bold, giving the brand a no-nonsense, workmanlike appeal — a nod to vintage labels, but without too much nostalgia. For the headlines and other text, Georgia Light (a weight of the classic web standby that was released in 2013 as part of Georgia Pro) is a handsome choice that could also be considered another subtle reference to the past, but appears classic and timeless in this setting. I don’t know how I feel about tracking it out at small sizes, but that’s a stylistic decision that some could legitimately defend. The less justifiable decisions are the overlaying of type on images that obscure its readability, and the abuse of apostrophes (using straight or opening quote marks instead of proper ones). I’m also not big on the gaping line-height on some of these pages, but we beat that bugaboo to death in other reviews.
This version of the site was designed by Christopher Morben under the direction of co-founder Michael Armenta. The good news for the designers is that these few typography foibles are easily adjusted. Taylor Stitch has acheived a look that feels high end; they just need to sew up some loose ends.
They straightened out the apostrophe here, but it’s still not worthy of Georgia or the attire.
These clothes are smarter than their apostrophes.
Headline/background contrast not so good.
Poor headline/background contrast, and (for my taste) this leading is far too loose-fitting.
Great headline/background contrast.
“F Q” — but ok, you know what it says.
A partially obscured headline is one thing, but this text is really asking too much of its readers.
Airy is the current trend in web design, but this is the roomiest cart I’ve ever seen. It’s certainly calming. Maybe it calms customers into calmly pushing the checkout button.
