Reimagining Leila Jeffreys’ Online Presence with Shopify

A new chapter has unfolded.

We’ve launched a new digital space for Leila Jeffreys — a space that echoes the stillness, grace, and quiet intensity of her art. An experience where photography, moving image, and installation can unfold with the calm and clarity they inspire.

Leila Jeffreys’ practice reveals itself slowly and deliberately, moments of pause, wonder, and connection. This website follows that same rhythm - spacious, composed, and quietly enduring.

Beyond the Gallery: A Platform Built for Artistic Growth

When we first spoke with Leila, her website was planned as a static build on Webflow. It made sense on the surface — Webflow is a design-friendly platform with plenty of visual control. But our question was bigger: What do you want this website to do for you?

Most artists - particularly in the fine art and installation space build digital experiences that reflect their work, but rarely use them to grow their practice commercially. They’re often elegant, but standalone. Our goal was to offer Leila something more integrated: a beautiful, functional space that reflected her artistic rhythm while also supporting the practical needs of her studio.

That’s where Shopify came in.

We walked through the difference between a site-as-gallery and a site-as-platform. With Shopify, Leila could not only showcase her work but also:

• Engage more meaningfully with those drawn to her work
• Streamline how her studio handles interest, logistics, and engagement behind the scenes
• Automate how her studio handles enquiries and requests
• Interface with Galleries and Art Exhibitions
• Control her content with ease
• Explore new formats including digital experiences and curated releases

She and her husband James responded immediately, excited by the idea of viewing her site as a living business asset, not just a digital exhibition. We didn’t need to convince them. We just needed to show what was possible.

Built on Shopify

We chose the Prestige theme as our foundation, a theme we know well and trust for high-end editorial projects. From there, we overhauled its layout using our in-house design system and custom section toolkit. Every element - spacing, fonts, media handling, and motion was reworked to bring softness and clarity.

The challenge was subtlety. Nothing could distract from Leila’s work, yet the site had to offer more than silence. We needed a UX that expressed reverence without retreating. Her photographic portraits of birds often feel meditative, almost spiritual and we mirrored that tone with slow fades, white space, and intentional pacing.

Most notably, we designed the product and artwork detail pages from scratch. These weren’t part of the original brief, but we knew they were essential. A visitor’s first moment of curiosity clicking on a book or a print - had to lead to a page that felt just as crafted as her exhibitions. These product pages now carry their own visual rhythm: generous image blocks, minimal copy, soft transitions.

A Quietly Intelligent Architecture

Beyond beauty, this website is intelligent. It’s designed for longevity. Using Shopify allows Leila’s team to manage everything from one place - inventory, books, orders, and studio communications. The automation of enquiry responses (based on artwork interest) allows her to engage potential collectors thoughtfully, without the administrative weight.

We also accounted for her need to feature moving image and installation work. Rather than relying on heavy video integrations, we developed a lightweight structure that plays beautifully across devices. These motion works are integrated seamlessly into the content blocks flowing like extensions of her still photography.

By relying on native Shopify features and a minimal set of lightweight apps, we ensured the site remains fast, secure, and low maintenance.

Collaboration and Detail

This wasn’t just a delivery, it was a creative process. We worked closely with Leila, James, and Kristen, refining every page together. Our role was to translate Leila’s artistic energy into a digital format that felt both grounded and elevated.

The photography and video assets were high-resolution and emotionally rich our job was to frame them. From optimised image handling to screen responsiveness, we ensured each page loads smoothly, even with large media formats.

Leila’s trust was key. She let us lead the eCommerce strategy while she remained deeply involved in tone and nuance. It was a true collaboration.

Expanding Her Practice, Digitally

Leila’s work invites quiet reflection, but it also sparks real-world impact. She partners with wildlife sanctuaries and conservationists. She donates work to help fundraise. She travels for fieldwork and spends years developing each series.

This new platform supports that evolution offering a refined digital presence that complements her exhibition program and deepens the way audiences can engage with her work.

With this foundation, Leila can:

• Present new series in a format aligned with her artistic vision
• Create thoughtful pathways for people to engage with her work
• Share video-based exhibitions and digital installations
• Offer books and limited works with care and autonomy

It’s more than a website. It’s a space that grows with her, built with clarity, intention, and room to move.

For Artists Who Want to Do More Than Display

We specialise in building Shopify sites for artists and designers. But we don’t just build — we think deeply about how your site will work. Who it’s for. What it needs to say — and sell.

Leila’s project is a perfect example of what can be achieved when creative practice and commerce are given equal respect. The result is a site that doesn’t just reflect her work. It expands it.

She told us she loves it. And that’s the highest compliment we can receive.

leila jeffreys.com