April, 2025
Arth Verma
Lead UI/UX Designer
The true design challenge for NKM Dolls was to speak two languages at once: the language of wonder and play for a child, and the language of trust and simplicity for the parent. My goal was to create one seamless digital experience that honored both.
About the Project
NKM Dolls is a new, online-only brand with a powerful mission: to celebrate young black girls with beautiful dolls that feature authentic, stylable human hair. My role as the lead UI/UX designer was to build their digital storefront from the ground up. The core challenge was to design an experience that could speak to two audiences at once: a magical and engaging world for the child, and a clear, trustworthy, and simple purchasing journey for the parent.
Project Gallery
A welcoming landing page designed to tell the brand's unique story and appeal to both mothers and daughters.
A page focused on showcasing the unique, stylable human hair with rich imagery and clear, nurturing language.
A simple, intuitive backend I designed to empower the non-technical owner to manage her inventory effortlessly.
A streamlined and secure multi-step checkout process designed for trust and ease of use for the purchasing parent.
The Challenge
Designing for a Dual Audience
How do you create a magical, engaging experience for a child while providing a clear, trustworthy, and simple purchasing journey for their parent?
Communicating a Unique Value
How do you best showcase the quality and authenticity of dolls with real human hair to build trust and justify the value of an online-only product?
Empowering a Non-Technical Founder
How do you build a backend system so simple that the owner can manage her entire business—adding, editing, and removing products—without needing developer support?
From Insight to Interface
The project began with deep competitor analysis and user research, focusing on the values and online habits of mothers shopping for their children. This research informed the creation of a soft, welcoming visual identity and a user flow that balanced playful discovery with a frictionless path to purchase. Close collaboration with the owner and development team was key to translating this vision into a functional and beautiful platform.
Features & Solutions
A "Child-Parent" UI
Visually engaging elements and storytelling for the child are coupled with clear typography, intuitive navigation, and transparent pricing for the parent.
Interactive Product Showcase
Product pages feature high-fidelity images and video carousels designed to highlight the texture and stylability of the dolls' authentic hair, building user confidence.
Simplified Admin Dashboard
The custom-designed backend uses clear labels, simple forms, and minimal steps for adding or editing products, tailored specifically for a non-technical user.
Project Outcome
The result is a complete, market-ready e-commerce platform that provides a beautiful and empowering digital storefront for the NKM Dolls brand. The final design successfully balances the needs of its dual audience and provides the owner with a simple, powerful tool to run her business independently.
