The Challenge
Mirabilia Boutique needed a luxury brand that would create instant excitement while balancing nostalgic charm with cutting-edge sophistication. The goal was to trigger that dopamine hit of discovering something special—something that felt both timelessly elegant and innovatively modern across all customer touchpoints.
The Solution
I developed "The Wonder Spark" concept that bridges retro aesthetics with tech-forward functionality. The starburst logo mimics both vintage starbursts and digital pixels, creating neural excitement through its radiating pattern while feeling familiar and futuristic. The soft purple palette triggers luxury associations while the scattered spark elements create visual rhythm that keeps brains engaged and wanting more.
The typography pairs retro-inspired Wedding Gothic with clean, tech-minded sans-serif fonts, hitting both nostalgia and innovation triggers. For the digital experience, I built a responsive site with thumb-friendly navigation that feels effortless—using modern UX principles wrapped in retro-luxury aesthetics that make every interaction satisfying.
Better Brand Design Through Brain Chemistry
Logo & Starburst Design
Dopamine Trigger: The radiating starburst pattern mimics neural firing, creating instant recognition and excitement. Symmetrical designs activate reward pathways in the brain.
Purple Color Psychology
Serotonin Boost: Purple combines the calm of blue with the energy of red, triggering feelings of luxury and creativity while reducing decision anxiety.
Scattered Spark Elements
Pattern Recognition: Random yet purposeful placement keeps the eye engaged by activating the brain's pattern-seeking behavior, increasing time spent viewing.
Typography Hierarchy
Cognitive Ease: Clear font hierarchy reduces mental load, allowing the emotional brain to take over decision-making faster than the analytical brain.
White Space Usage
Cortisol Reduction: Generous white space lowers stress hormones, creating a premium feel that makes customers more likely to justify higher prices.
Product Grid Layout
Choice Architecture: Strategic product placement uses loss aversion—customers see what they might miss if they don't explore further.
Call-to-Action Buttons
Action Dopamine: Blue CTA buttons create contrast that triggers the brain's action centers while feeling trustworthy rather than pushy.
The Result
The brand successfully creates that perfect tension between old and new that luxury customers crave. The retro-tech aesthetic triggers both comfort and excitement, while the frictionless user experience converts curiosity into purchases. Customers get the dopamine rush of discovering something unique that feels both nostalgically familiar and refreshingly modern—exactly the emotional cocktail that drives luxury purchasing decisions.
The Process
This is where we started, and how we got to this conclusion:
