SERENA IS A DESIGN DIRECTOR SPECIALIZING IN UX/UI DESIGN, BRANDING, & eCOMMERCE DESIGN STRATEGY.

A journal lays closed surrounded by flowers and pens.

Organizational Stationery & Planners Seller

Shopify Plus redesign aligning digital experience with beloved physical packaging through bright, optimistic visuals and a structured, intuitive UI. Solutions included size- and use-case–based product categorization, clear labeling, and thoughtfully designed PDPs to simplify complex variant configurations. Navigation and merchandising supported diverse planner types and formats, creating a frictionless experience tailored to highly organized, design-conscious users.

Case Study available upon request.

A beautiful young woman with freckles and curly hair smiles and holds a leaf by her face.

Global Science-Backed Clean Beauty & Wellness Company

Web redesign and headless implementation on BigCommerce to elevate a brand across seven international markets. Creative solutions included a modular design system with asymmetrical layouts, a fully custom pattern library, and curated cart functionality tailored to two distinct audiences: end customers and social marketers operating within a direct selling model.

Case Study available upon request.

A handpainted action figure closeup of an older man in superhero clothing raising a weapon at the viewer.

Luxury Pop Culture Collectibles Leader

UX and visual redesign to elevate a homegrown platform into a premium ecommerce experience. Solutions included a clean, gallery-style aesthetic with editorial PDP layouts, artist spotlights, and high-impact photography to position products as collectible art. Extensive catalog restructuring focused on intuitive taxonomy, franchise-based navigation, and collector-driven merchandising. Global currency support and integrated user-generated content reinforced brand credibility and community engagement.

Case Study available upon request.

A large teakwood armoire in a luxury interior.

High-End Furniture Wholesaler

Full rebrand and UX overhaul supporting a scalable, B2B ecommerce experience on Optimizely. Solutions included a modular, editorial-style design system tailored for both vendors and designers, responsive layouts optimized for in-store tablet use, and a flexible white-label visual framework that enables vendors to showcase the full catalog as their own.

Case Study available upon request.

A car spins donuts in the snow in a large field, sending snow flying.

Motorsport Lifestyle & Content Brand

Shopify Plus redesign blending high-octane visuals with immersive content experiences. Solutions included an edgy, editorial design system, seamless YouTube integration, and a custom shortcode system that empowered rich media publishing. The UX strategy focused on cross-pollinating content and commerce, merging video, articles, and product merchandising to keep fans engaged and convert viewership into sales.

Case Study available upon request.

Luxury Bohemian Fashion Retailer

Shopify Plus redesign to elevate brand perception and streamline the shopping journey. Solutions included a soft, editorial UI with oversized imagery, color swatches, and pinned product actions to enhance conversion. A refreshed blog, cohesive iconography, and responsive design system brought clarity and sophistication to every interaction from product discovery to checkout.

Case Study available upon request.

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K–12 Homeschooling Curriculum Provider

Shopify Plus redesign to streamline a complex product catalog and clarify the value of subscription-based learning tools. Creative solutions included a color-coded visual system for product segmentation, guided purchase flows tailored to parent decision-making, and intuitive PDPs designed to reduce confusion between physical, digital, and teacher-led offerings—enhancing trust and simplifying the path to enrollment.

Case Study available upon request.

DESIGN AWARDS

IMA (Interactive Media Awards)

Best in Class / Retail Category

Best in Class / Retail Category
Best in Class / Teen Category
Best in Class / E-Commerce Category

Outstanding Achievement in E-Commerce

w3 AWARDS

Gold Winner / Best User Experience

Gold Winner / Best Website Redesign

Gold Winner / Entertainment

Gold Winner / Fashion

Silver Winner / Best Website Redesign

Silver Winner / Video/Motion Graphics

Silver Winner / Visual Appeal Aesthetics

Silver Winner / Visual Appeal Experience

Silver Winner / Branding

Silver Winner / Fashion

WEBBYS

Car Site & Car Culture Honoree

INTERNET RETAILER EXCELLENCE AWARD

Web Redesign of the Year Finalist

ENDORSEMENTS

"Serena is a tremendous asset. She can be trusted with autonomously creating superior work consistently, and with presenting it in a professional, articulate, convincing manner. She also has a vision for elevating her field of expertise within the company, and elevating the quality of work across all members of her department."

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

GUIDANCE

Get in Touch

Whether you’re looking for UX/UI support on a project or seeking a seasoned creative leader for your team, I’d love to connect. Case studies and work samples are available upon request - just reach out to start the conversation. :)

SERENA ILLESCAS

DESIGN AWARDS

IMA (Interactive Media Awards)

w3 AWARDS

WEBBYS

INTERNET RETAILER EXCELLENCE AWARD

ENDORSEMENTS

Get in Touch

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

WANT TO NETWORK?

SERENA ILLESCAS

DESIGN AWARDS

IMA (Interactive Media Awards)

w3 AWARDS

WEBBYS​

INTERNET RETAILER EXCELLENCE AWARD

ENDORSEMENTS

Get in Touch

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

WANT TO NETWORK?

WEBBYS