challenge
New Balance entered its digital transformation sprint not from a standing start, but with the weight of a century of craftsmanship, brand loyalty, and evolving customer expectations. The independent athlete, their core customer, wasn’t just shopping for gear; they were looking for personalization, performance alignment, and a brand that matched their values. Yet, the digital experience lagged. While physical retail delivered high-touch service, the e-commerce journey was generic, static, and disconnected from the emotional and performance-oriented ethos of the New Balance brand. In a time of global disruption and digital acceleration, New Balance sought to shift from a traditional product-push model to a user-centered digital flagship—one that brought the heart of the brand online, connected content with commerce, and acted as the foundation for agile, cross-functional delivery at scale.
Client
New Balance
Format
Website
ACTION
As part of Deloitte Digital, I led design for the new global digital flagship, crafting a future-fit commerce platform that translated the brand’s in-store service quality and narrative richness into a seamless, personalized, and high-performance digital experience. Our approach began with a shared ambition: to elevate not just transactions, but the athlete’s full brand relationship; before, during, and after purchase. We grounded the work in insight, enabled by modern architecture, and delivered with design craft and speed. Key steps included: Co-creating the digital ambition with global and regional leadership to unify priorities across product, marketing, and engineering Designing a new end-to-end commerce journey that merged editorial storytelling, performance insights, and personalization—from homepage to checkout Integrating tools like a custom running shoe finder and sizing guidance to elevate confidence and reduce friction Architecting reusable design components and scalable systems to accelerate rollout and enable agile iteration Facilitating working models across business, tech, and design teams to shift from launch mode to ongoing evolution Throughout, we tested with real athletes, ensuring that every interaction reflected their mindset, not just marketing assumptions.
RESULTS
The new global digital flagship delivered measurable gains in performance, experience, and perception: 35% faster site interactions and transactions, improving responsiveness and reducing bounce 16% year-on-year e-commerce revenue growth, driven by improved product discovery and reduced friction Uplift in return visits and time-on-site, signaling stronger brand engagement and utility A modular design system and collaboration model that empowered New Balance to scale digital innovation globally, across categories and campaigns The digital store became more than a sales channel—it became a flagship in its own right, offering athletes a service-driven, insight-rich brand experience at every click.
LEADERSHIP LENS
This was not a project about launching a prettier store. It was about shifting the organization's posture—from transactional to relational, from channel-thinking to journey-building. Through Clarity, we united siloed teams under a shared digital ambition—translating physical service principles into coherent digital design. Through Cadence, we established new rhythms of collaboration across design, tech, and product—enabling speed without sacrificing coherence. Through Care, we brought the athlete’s voice into every sprint—ensuring that performance, inclusivity, and meaning were designed into every screen. This work positioned New Balance not just to keep pace with competitors, but to lead through craft, consistency, and customer closeness. A flagship redefined for the age of digital performance.
