Combos
Context
Fashion app with a social layer that helps young people quickly and funnily decide what to wear by uploading outfit options and receiving feedback from friends or the community.
Objective
The main goal was to create a seamless experience to address a common question: "What should I wear today?"
Based on that premise, I sought to build a product that not only worked well on a UX level, but also generated emotional connection: fun interaction and a community that provides real value.
My role
I took care of all the Product Design, from the initial concepts to the final visual design. This included defining the initial branding, information architecture, user flows, wireframes, visual design, and interactive prototype. Additionally, I worked on the brand personality and the principles that define the tone of voice and the overall experience of Combos.
Working process
Research
Before designing, I wanted to better understand the context in which decisions about what to wear are made, and how that affects people's daily lives. To do this, I relied on:
Quick interviews with people from the target audience to identify behavioural patterns: When do they hesitate? Who do they usually consult with? Do they use external references or improvise?
Benchmarking of similar apps: I reviewed fashion products, visual social media, and voting tools to understand which interaction mechanisms were effective and which didn't fit the experience I wanted to build.
Digital behavioural analysis: I observed how people already share questions about clothing via WhatsApp or Instagram. I detected that this behaviour already existed, but in a scattered way and not designed for this use case.
One of the key findings was that the hesitation wasn't about "buying" but about "deciding." Users aren't looking for an endless catalog of inspiration, but rather quick and direct validation, without having to explain too much. It's also important to highlight the trust the user has in the person helping them, which opens the door to having more highly rated profiles or closed groups.
With clear ideas, I went on to define how Combos should work to be useful, intuitive, and easy to integrate into daily routines.
From the start, I was clear that the app should avoid any unnecessary complexity: uploading a question, receiving feedback, and making quick decisions.
During the ideation phase, I worked on three key pillars:
Flow simplicity: from the creation of the “combo” (multiple outfit options) to receiving votes and opinions, everything should be able to be done in just a few taps.
Social interaction with clear limits: I did not want to replicate a generic social network, but rather focused, familiar interaction that is free of noise.
Emotional and trustworthy design: Combos should feel like a close and safe space, not like a showcase or competition app.
Wireframes
For this initial design phase, I worked with low-fidelity wireframes created in Figma using specific components from libraries designed for this type of deliverable. This allowed me to focus on the user experience without being distracted by premature visual decisions.
I designed the key flows: login and registration, the outfit voting system, the uploading of new posts, as well as the statistics and history area. The main objective was to explore ideas and align expectations with the client, as well as to start defining the base navigation flow within the app.
To validate some early decisions, I shared the wireframes with close individuals who fit the target user profile. This helped me quickly identify some needs, such as keeping the login as streamlined as possible — something especially important for an app with frequent and dynamic use — or rethinking the history section. Initially, we had proposed a calendar view, but after observing how they interacted with that section, we opted for a simpler format, in the form of a list of previous posts.
This phase was key to laying the functional foundations of the app, prioritising the clarity of the flow and ensuring that the design addressed the actual needs of users from the beginning.
Prototyping
Once the main ideas were validated with wireframes, I moved on to creating high-fidelity prototypes in Figma. At this stage, both the visual components and the necessary microinteractions were defined to convey the app's youthful, energetic, and trustworthy tone.
The visual design was based on the previously defined identity: a vibrant palette, with electric blue as the primary color and accents in yellow and turquoise green. I used legible typography, with an emphasis on clear hierarchies and well-visible calls to action.
The prototype included key screens such as the complete voting flow, post creation, the login system, and the statistics section, aiming for a clear experience.
Microinteractions and transitions were added to reinforce the app's personality without hindering the experience. For example, when voting on an outfit, the app displayed a small validation animation that gave a sense of fluidity and immediate response. This interaction is already known and common within the market, making it the simplest option for users to adopt.
The prototypes were tested internally with the same group that participated in the initial validation. Reactions were positive and helped refine visual details, such as button sizes or the visibility of certain options in the publishing flow.
This phase allowed for the transformation of an abstract idea into a tangible experience that reflected not only the functionality of the app but also its tone and value proposition that the client can present.
Challenges and learnings
One of the main challenges was to translate an ambitious idea into an experience that could be engaging from the very first use, even without an active community or generated content. Since it was a social network in its early stages, designing clear first steps was crucial to avoid losing the user in the first seconds of interaction.
Another complex point was maintaining the balance between design and functionality. Being an MVP, the visual proposal did not take precedence over clear functionality that did not compromise usability. I decided to create a solid foundation for operation and navigation that can be easily scaled, and in the case that the visual proposal undergoes a significant change, it can be applied easily without causing an excessively large shift.
Moreover, close collaboration with the client was key: throughout the process, there were changes in the product's direction, which forced me to adjust certain design decisions and re-prioritize functionalities. This flexibility taught me to document changes better and visually justify each iteration.
Finally, this project gave me the opportunity to test image generation tools that were in their infancy. This helped me present better prototypes and served as a way to start a conversation about including Artificial Intelligence functionalities at a later stage.