Kat Fernando
Open for freelance work.
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Case Study
Commbi is a playful footwear startup based in the USA, on a mission to bring podiatrist-designed comfort to everyday wear.
Designed with podiatrists, they put the spotlight on their patent-pending interchangeable footbeds to keep you supported yet stylish all day long.
Website:
Agency:
Freshwater Development
00
Overview
Role:
UX/UI design, visual branding
Platform:
Shopify
Project type:
Shopify build, web design, e-comm strategy, brand design
01
Project Scope
As a new player in the footwear space, Commbi partnered with Freshwater to design a Shopify storefront that balanced clean aesthetics, product education, and conversion-friendly UX.
The goal was to create a digital brand home that introduced customers to Commbi’s story and product benefits while building trust — even as a first-time visitor.
The product!
Interchangeable water resistant footbeds made from vegan leather that you can bundle with their quirky designs.
02
Key Challenges
01
How might we design a full e-commerce experience that balances premium appeal with Commbi’s playful tone — while reflecting the brand’s evolving identity?
02
How might we leverage Commbi’s rich visual assets to build a lifestyle-forward experience that guides and resonates with first-time customers?
03
How might we build a site that’s both scalable for the internal team and optimized for quick, seamless decision-making by customers at launch?
04
How might we structure product discovery and bundling to encourage exploration, support storytelling, and increase average order value without overwhelming the customer?
First few iterations of the project
03
Approach & Process
To bring Commbi’s vision to life, the team followed a lean, collaborative design process that balanced brand storytelling with user-centered design.
01
We kicked off the project by aligning with the client on their brand positioning, target audience, and immediate business goals. We reviewed initial assets, competitor benchmarks, and brainstormed core messaging themes.
02
With limited SKUs and a strong visual brand, we focused on designing a clear and persuasive path from homepage to checkout. We also created flexible components for product storytelling such as accordion FAQs, journal links, and bundled offerings , to let the brand scale easily.
03
We mapped out key pages and flows in low fidelity to quickly test content structure, image hierarchy, and CTA placement. This helped us ensure the content would carry the storytelling without relying on heavy copy or animations.
04
We developed a high-fidelity UI system that reflected the brand’s relaxed but premium tone — using soft, hilly edges to mimic the footbed, spacious layouts, and friendly typography. We worked closely with our developers to translate this into a scalable, theme-based Shopify implementation.
05
We ran a lightweight A/B test targeting early visitors through direct ads and email — tracking engagement, bounce rates, and scroll depth.
04
Outcome
Homepage
Unfolds like a story — starting with lifestyle, product benefits & featured collection, then social proof.
Product page
Expandable content blocks, subtle animations, and lifestyle imagery showing the interchangeable soles in action.
Mobile usability
Simplified the nav, improved tap targets, and prioritized content stacking for product discovery.
Blog
Not just an afterthought; immersive blog experience to build brand credibility, drive organic traffic and emphasize shareability.
IT WAS A WIN!
“Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for helping support us in the launch of Commbi! You guys are such incredible humans.”
Sarah Rhoads, Founder
© Kat Fernando — 2025
All Rights Reserved
Kat Fernando
Open for freelance work.
Projects
01
About
02
CV
03
Soundcloud
04
Case Study
Commbi is a playful footwear startup based in the USA, on a mission to bring podiatrist-designed comfort to everyday wear.
Designed with podiatrists, they put the spotlight on their patent-pending interchangeable footbeds to keep you supported yet stylish all day long.
Website:
Agency:
Freshwater Development
00
Overview
Role:
UX/UI design, visual branding
Platform:
Shopify
Project type:
Shopify build, web design, e-comm strategy, brand design
01
Project Scope
As a new player in the footwear space, Commbi partnered with Freshwater to design a Shopify storefront that balanced clean aesthetics, product education, and conversion-friendly UX.
The goal was to create a digital brand home that introduced customers to Commbi’s story and product benefits while building trust — even as a first-time visitor.
The product!
Interchangeable water resistant footbeds made from vegan leather that you can bundle with their quirky designs.
02
Key Challenges
01
How might we design a full e-commerce experience that balances premium appeal with Commbi’s playful tone — while reflecting the brand’s evolving identity?
02
How might we leverage Commbi’s rich visual assets to build a lifestyle-forward experience that guides and resonates with first-time customers?
03
How might we build a site that’s both scalable for the internal team and optimized for quick, seamless decision-making by customers at launch?
04
How might we structure product discovery and bundling to encourage exploration, support storytelling, and increase average order value without overwhelming the customer?
First few iterations of the project
03
Approach & Process
To bring Commbi’s vision to life, the team followed a lean, collaborative design process that balanced brand storytelling with user-centered design.
01
We kicked off the project by aligning with the client on their brand positioning, target audience, and immediate business goals. We reviewed initial assets, competitor benchmarks, and brainstormed core messaging themes.
02
With limited SKUs and a strong visual brand, we focused on designing a clear and persuasive path from homepage to checkout. We also created flexible components for product storytelling such as accordion FAQs, journal links, and bundled offerings , to let the brand scale easily.
03
We mapped out key pages and flows in low fidelity to quickly test content structure, image hierarchy, and CTA placement. This helped us ensure the content would carry the storytelling without relying on heavy copy or animations.
04
We developed a high-fidelity UI system that reflected the brand’s relaxed but premium tone — using soft, hilly edges to mimic the footbed, spacious layouts, and friendly typography. We worked closely with our developers to translate this into a scalable, theme-based Shopify implementation.
05
We ran a lightweight A/B test targeting early visitors through direct ads and email — tracking engagement, bounce rates, and scroll depth.
04
Outcome
Homepage
Unfolds like a story — starting with lifestyle, product benefits & featured collection, then social proof.
Product page
Expandable content blocks, subtle animations, and lifestyle imagery showing the interchangeable soles in action.
Mobile usability
Simplified the nav, improved tap targets, and prioritized content stacking for product discovery.
Blog
Not just an afterthought; immersive blog experience to build brand credibility, drive organic traffic and emphasize shareability.
IT WAS A WIN!
“Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for helping support us in the launch of Commbi! You guys are such incredible humans.”
Sarah Rhoads, Founder
© Kat Fernando — 2025
All Rights Reserved.
Open for freelance work.
Designer & occasional DJ based in Manila, Philippines (GMT+8).
Projects
01
About
02
CV
03
Soundcloud
04
Contact
me@katfdo.com
Socials
Case Study
Commbi is a playful footwear startup based in the USA, on a mission to bring podiatrist-designed comfort to everyday wear.
Designed with podiatrists, they put the spotlight on their patent-pending interchangeable footbeds to keep you supported yet stylish all day long.
Website:
Agency:
Freshwater Development
00
Overview
Role:
UX/UI design, visual branding
Platform:
Shopify
Project type:
Shopify build, web design, e-comm strategy, brand design
01
Project Scope
As a new player in the footwear space, Commbi partnered with Freshwater to design a Shopify storefront that balanced clean aesthetics, product education, and conversion-friendly UX.
The goal was to create a digital brand home that introduced customers to Commbi’s story and product benefits while building trust — even as a first-time visitor.
The product!
Interchangeable water resistant footbeds made from vegan leather that you can bundle with their quirky designs.
02
Key Challenges
01
How might we design a full e-commerce experience that balances premium appeal with Commbi’s playful tone — while reflecting the brand’s evolving identity?
02
How might we leverage Commbi’s rich visual assets to build a lifestyle-forward experience that guides and resonates with first-time customers?
03
How might we build a site that’s both scalable for the internal team and optimized for quick, seamless decision-making by customers at launch?
04
How might we structure product discovery and bundling to encourage exploration, support storytelling, and increase average order value without overwhelming the customer?
First few iterations of the project
03
Approach & Process
To bring Commbi’s vision to life, the team followed a lean, collaborative design process that balanced brand storytelling with user-centered design.
01
We kicked off the project by aligning with the client on their brand positioning, target audience, and immediate business goals. We reviewed initial assets, competitor benchmarks, and brainstormed core messaging themes.
02
With limited SKUs and a strong visual brand, we focused on designing a clear and persuasive path from homepage to checkout. We also created flexible components for product storytelling such as accordion FAQs, journal links, and bundled offerings , to let the brand scale easily.
03
We mapped out key pages and flows in low fidelity to quickly test content structure, image hierarchy, and CTA placement. This helped us ensure the content would carry the storytelling without relying on heavy copy or animations.
04
We developed a high-fidelity UI system that reflected the brand’s relaxed but premium tone — using soft, hilly edges to mimic the footbed, spacious layouts, and friendly typography. We worked closely with our developers to translate this into a scalable, theme-based Shopify implementation.
05
We ran a lightweight A/B test targeting early visitors through direct ads and email — tracking engagement, bounce rates, and scroll depth.
04
Outcome
Homepage
Unfolds like a story — starting with lifestyle, product benefits & featured collection, then social proof.
Product page
Expandable content blocks, subtle animations, and lifestyle imagery showing the interchangeable soles in action.
Mobile usability
Simplified the nav, improved tap targets, and prioritized content stacking for product discovery.
Blog
Not just an afterthought; immersive blog experience to build brand credibility, drive organic traffic and emphasize shareability.
IT WAS A WIN!
“Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for helping support us in the launch of Commbi! You guys are such incredible humans.”
Sarah Rhoads, Founder
© Kat Fernando — 2025
All Rights Reserved.
Open for freelance work.
Designer & occasional DJ based in Manila, Philippines (GMT+8).
Projects
01
About
02
CV
03
Soundcloud
04
Contact
me@katfdo.com
Socials
Case Study
Commbi is a playful footwear startup based in the USA, on a mission to bring podiatrist-designed comfort to everyday wear.
Designed with podiatrists, they put the spotlight on their patent-pending interchangeable footbeds to keep you supported yet stylish all day long.
Website:
Agency:
Freshwater Development
00
Overview
Role:
UX/UI design, visual branding
Platform:
Shopify
Project type:
Shopify build, web design, e-comm strategy, brand design
01
Project Scope
As a new player in the footwear space, Commbi partnered with Freshwater to design a Shopify storefront that balanced clean aesthetics, product education, and conversion-friendly UX.
The goal was to create a digital brand home that introduced customers to Commbi’s story and product benefits while building trust — even as a first-time visitor.
The product!
Interchangeable water resistant footbeds made from vegan leather that you can bundle with their quirky designs.
02
Key Challenges
01
How might we design a full e-commerce experience that balances premium appeal with Commbi’s playful tone — while reflecting the brand’s evolving identity?
02
How might we leverage Commbi’s rich visual assets to build a lifestyle-forward experience that guides and resonates with first-time customers?
03
How might we build a site that’s both scalable for the internal team and optimized for quick, seamless decision-making by customers at launch?
04
How might we structure product discovery and bundling to encourage exploration, support storytelling, and increase average order value without overwhelming the customer?
First few iterations of the project
03
Approach & Process
To bring Commbi’s vision to life, the team followed a lean, collaborative design process that balanced brand storytelling with user-centered design.
01
We kicked off the project by aligning with the client on their brand positioning, target audience, and immediate business goals. We reviewed initial assets, competitor benchmarks, and brainstormed core messaging themes.
02
With limited SKUs and a strong visual brand, we focused on designing a clear and persuasive path from homepage to checkout. We also created flexible components for product storytelling such as accordion FAQs, journal links, and bundled offerings , to let the brand scale easily.
03
We mapped out key pages and flows in low fidelity to quickly test content structure, image hierarchy, and CTA placement. This helped us ensure the content would carry the storytelling without relying on heavy copy or animations.
04
We developed a high-fidelity UI system that reflected the brand’s relaxed but premium tone — using soft, hilly edges to mimic the footbed, spacious layouts, and friendly typography. We worked closely with our developers to translate this into a scalable, theme-based Shopify implementation.
05
We ran a lightweight A/B test targeting early visitors through direct ads and email — tracking engagement, bounce rates, and scroll depth.
04
Outcome
Homepage
Unfolds like a story — starting with lifestyle, product benefits & featured collection, then social proof.
Product page
Expandable content blocks, subtle animations, and lifestyle imagery showing the interchangeable soles in action.
Mobile usability
Simplified the nav, improved tap targets, and prioritized content stacking for product discovery.
Blog
Not just an afterthought; immersive blog experience to build brand credibility, drive organic traffic and emphasize shareability.
IT WAS A WIN!
“Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for helping support us in the launch of Commbi! You guys are such incredible humans.”
Sarah Rhoads, Founder
© Kat Fernando — 2025
All Rights Reserved.