Gary Rom Man - Signature Barbershop
Gary Rom Man — Signature Barber is a premium barbershop brand within the Gary Rom Hairdressing franchise, with 11 branches across South Africa at the time of the project.
Project Overview
Premium digital experience for a growing barbershop franchise
The existing website didn't reflect the brand's distinctive, premium barbershop experience or its rapidly growing franchise network. The project involved a complete redesign and redevelopment focused on improving the user experience, strengthening the visual identity and creating a clearer path to finding a branch and booking an appointment.
Role & Scope
- UX/UI Design
- Web Design & Development
- UX Research
- Information Architecture
- Wireframing & Prototyping
- CMS Architecture
- Copywriting
- Booking System Integration
- Client & Project Management
- Web Hosting
Objectives
- Create a digital experience that reflected the premium Gary Rom Man brand
- Establish a distinctive and masculine visual identity
- Improve navigation and content hierarchy
- Make it easy to find a nearby barbershop
- Create a clear path to online appointment booking
- Build a scalable structure for the growing franchise
Research & Discovery
I analysed the existing website alongside the client's business goals and the wider premium barbering market.
Industry research and competitor inspiration helped establish a stronger visual and UX direction for the new experience.
Key findings
- Weak visual hierarchy and unclear user flows
- Inconsistent and poorly defined calls to action
- Dense paragraphs and lists that were difficult to scan
- Limited supporting imagery
- Visual design that didn't communicate the brand's premium, personalised character
The research informed the new sitemap, user flows and visual direction.
Information Architecture
The existing structure was simplified and expanded to create clearer journeys around the primary customer goals.
The new structure prioritised:
Discover → Explore Services → Find a Branch → Book
A dedicated Franchising section was also introduced, while CMS collections provided a scalable structure for branch and recurring content.
UX & Wireframing
Initial sketches were used to explore layouts, user flows and content hierarchy before developing more detailed wireframes.
The wireframes focused particularly on the journey from discovering the brand to:
finding a nearby branch → viewing relevant information → booking an appointment.
Visual Design
Timeless. Premium. Distinctive.
The visual direction was inspired by the physical interiors of the Gary Rom Man barbershops — brown leather, copper details, dark mirrors, black basins and earthy tones.
The goal was to create a digital experience that felt refined, masculine and contemporary, without falling into an overly stereotypical aesthetic.
Typography
EB Garamond
Used for headings and display typography to introduce a classic, premium character.
Lato
Used for body copy and supporting UI to maintain readability and balance.
Colour
The palette drew from the barbershop interiors:
- Deep brown / leather tones
- Copper-inspired accents
- Black
- Earthy neutrals
Final Design
Timeless & Trendy
The final experience combined a premium visual identity with a straightforward customer journey.
The website was designed to make the key actions immediately understandable while allowing the brand's photography, typography and colour palette to establish the atmosphere.
Key Features
Homepage
- Strong hero introducing the Gary Rom Man experience
- Clear CTA to find a nearby barbershop
- Service overview
- Brand storytelling
- Branch discovery
- Strong visual hierarchy
- Clear route into appointment booking
-
Branches
A dedicated branch experience allows customers to find a convenient location and access relevant information before booking.
Services
Services were structured into clear, digestible sections rather than long lists, making the offering easier to browse.
Booking
The booking system was integrated into the website to create a direct path from discovering a branch or service to making an appointment.
CMS
Reusable CMS collections were introduced to make branch and recurring content easier to manage as the franchise expanded.
Development
The approved designs were translated into a responsive Webflow website with reusable components, CMS collections and third-party booking integration.
The implementation focused on maintaining the visual character of the design while ensuring the experience remained practical across desktop and mobile.
Outcome
The redesigned website gave Gary Rom Man a more distinctive, premium and structured digital presence, better aligned with its physical barbershop experience and growing franchise.
The new experience created clearer journeys around the two most important customer actions:
discovering the brand and booking a barbershop appointment.
Services Delivered
UX/UI Design · Information Architecture · Wireframing · Web Design · Web Development · CMS · Booking Integration · Copywriting
Tools
Figma · Webflow · CMS · Shopify
