The Swiss Arabian website design project is part of The Media Lab’s earlier work for fragrance brands in the UAE. The original project focused on a restrained visual presentation, product photography and clear routes through the collection.
This retrospective explains the design choices described in our project record and the practical lessons they offer for perfume businesses planning a website. It refers to that earlier project, rather than claiming that every part of the brand’s current website was created by The Media Lab.
The Swiss Arabian website design approach
Fragrance is difficult to communicate through a screen. Visitors cannot smell a product, so the website needs to help them explore through imagery, language and a clear shopping journey. The design should support that exploration without letting decorative elements overwhelm the collection.
Our earlier project used a black-and-white foundation to give the product imagery room to stand out. The aim was a luxury presentation with simple navigation. Product colours and packaging could remain prominent within the restrained page design.
This approach matters because a perfume website has several jobs at once. It introduces the brand, presents a collection and helps someone move towards a product that interests them. Each page should make the next step understandable.
Product imagery as the centre of the experience
The project record describes product photography as an important part of the layout. A consistent presentation helped the range feel connected while allowing individual fragrances to retain their own character.
For a new perfume website, plan image requirements before finalising the page templates. A collection image and a close-up product detail serve different purposes. Agree the crops, background and image proportions so that the catalogue remains consistent as products are added.
Also consider what a visitor needs to judge. Packaging, bottle shape and size can all help explain the product. Use accurate photographs for products being sold, and clearly distinguish any conceptual imagery from real product presentation.
Simple routes through the collection
The earlier Swiss Arabian website design included navigation for the product range, a product search function and visible shopping calls to action. The project account also described access to store information and customer accounts through the top navigation.
These elements serve different visitor needs. Someone who knows a fragrance name may prefer search. Someone browsing for a gift may start with a category. A customer who wants to visit in person needs a clear route to store information.
The practical lesson is to organise the website around these tasks. An attractive homepage should not make basic actions harder to find.
Questions to ask when planning navigation
- Can a customer find a known product without searching through the whole catalogue?
- Are category names understandable without knowing the brand’s internal terminology?
- Can mobile visitors use the navigation comfortably?
- Is important buying information available near the product?
- Can customers find help when they need it?
Keep minimal design informative
A minimal website should remove distractions, not useful information. Product pages still need clear names, accurate details and an understandable next step. A strong image cannot answer every question about the purchase.
For a new project, define the content alongside the design. Decide what belongs on a collection page, what needs a full product explanation and what can live in a supporting guide. This makes the layout more purposeful.
The Media Lab’s web design service in Dubai brings those content and design decisions together. You can also read our guide to the role of a business website for a broader planning perspective.
Plan beyond the desktop presentation
When applying these lessons to a new site, test the complete mobile journey. Product images need to remain useful on a smaller screen. Buttons, menus and forms should be easy to operate, and important information should not disappear from the mobile version.
Build ongoing updates into the plan as well. Product availability, collection changes and content corrections need an owner. A website maintenance arrangement can help keep those responsibilities clear after launch.
These are recommendations for future projects, rather than additional claims about the scope or measured performance of the earlier Swiss Arabian work.
Explore the brand and our wider work
For current collections and shopping information, visit Swiss Arabian’s official UAE website. Websites evolve, so today’s live experience may differ from the version discussed here.
The Swiss Arabian website design project illustrates the value of giving products a clear setting and customers a direct route through the collection. Explore The Media Lab’s wider work or discuss your website brief with our team.
The cover is an AI-generated editorial concept about perfume website design, not a screenshot of the Swiss Arabian project.
