SKÖN NOIR
SKÖN NOIR
As part of my studies at Noroff, I created Skön Noir, a fashion brand concept inspired by my own experience as a neurodivergent designer. The goal was to learn how to build a brand from the ground up, using real tools and strategies.
Skön Noir focuses on minimalist design and inclusivity. I wanted to explore how fashion can feel calm and structured, while also creating space for people who often feel left out—like those who are neurodivergent.
What I did:
Created the brand idea, mission, and values
Designed the visual style and tone of voice
Wrote content like an “About” section and blog post
Practiced SEO and accessibility for website content
Made example posts and campaign ideas
This project helped me grow my skills in branding, storytelling, and content creation. Most of all, it taught me how to connect design with meaning.
creating the brand
Step ett(1): Skön Noir: Overthought, Overasked, and Dressed in Black
When I got the assignment to create a brand, I immediately entered maximum overthinking mode.
Should I go with fashion (which I studied) or digital marketing (which I love and am literally doing right now)? So, naturally, I:
- Asked everyone I knew.
-Bugged my mentors so much they probably considered changing their names.
- Spiraled into a sea of indecision before finally accepting the obvious: fashion.
Because as much as I love creating a marketing agency, this was my chance to build something that actually makes a difference.
Step Deux(2): Naming the Brand – AI, Help Me Out Here
I knew I wanted something that reflected Montreal and Stockholm—two cities that shaped my aesthetic and values. It had to be:
-Swedish & French, representing both places.
-Minimal but stylish.
-Chic, but not cringe.
-A reflection of my personal style—a deep love for wearing black, which both cities embrace.
So, I did the smart thing and asked ChatGPT (a million times). And boom: Skön Noir.
- Skön – Swedish for beautiful.
- Noir – French for black.
It's an effortlessly cool(if I do say so myself—although I am biased), l, and completely on-brand name for someone who basically lives in black
Step Tre(3): Skön Noir: Obsessing Over Fonts, Logos, and Looking Effortlessly Cool
I wanted Skön Noir to have that effortlessly cool, minimalist aesthetic.
Naturally, that meant obsessing over every single detail—fonts, pixels, existential dread and all.
What inspired me?
Acne Studios – for its refined, stripped-back identity.
A classmate’s advice – “Make a micro-logo for social branding.” It lived rent-free in my head.
EYTYS – for the unapologetically bold, micro-minimalist presence.
The globe icon you see? It’s not just a design choice—it reflects the way the world spins for many of us.
Skön Noir was built with neurodivergent minds in mind. We process differently, feel deeply, and see things others might overlook. That’s not a flaw. That’s our superpower.
After countless iterations—logo tweaks, font experiments, and one-too-many late-night identity crises—I landed on a look that felt right: Timeless, stripped back, and quietly powerful.
Because when you’ve got something to say, you don’t need to shout.
Let the design (and the mission) do the talking.
Step Quatre(4): Skön Noir: Overthought, Overasked, and Dressed in Black
I’ve seen fashion’s ugly side—wasteful production, undervalued people, and a “just throw it out and make more” mindset.
We see that:
-30% of creatives are neurodivergent, yet masking is still expected. Skön Noir hires, supports, and lets talent thrive authentically.
-Fashion is a sustainability disaster—it contributes 10% of global emissions and 85% of textiles to landfills. We’re doing better: smarter production, less waste.
-Breaking into creative fields is harder when you’re neurodivergent. We provide mentorship and opportunities—because talent shouldn’t have to fight for a seat at the table.
Step Fem (5): Skön Noir: Not Just a Brand—A Stylish Rebellion
Skön Noir isn’t just about fashion. It’s about changing how the industry operates.
Sustainability – Because clothes should last longer than my attention span.
Inclusivity – Because the best fashion is made for actual humans.
Neurodivergent Creativity – Because we’re already shaping the industry, so it’s about time we get workplaces that don’t make us miserable.
Step six (6): Learnings/ reflections
Skön Noir started as an idea—just a small spark. I wanted to create something meaningful, something that felt like me.
Along the way, I’ve had to learn a lot:
how to design a brand, build a website, figure out SEO, write content, and handle digital marketing (without losing my mind).
Here are a few things this journey has taught me:
Design is about feeling, not just looking good.
Telling your story matters more than selling stuff.
SEO is surprisingly satisfying once you get the hang of it.
You don’t have to do things the “normal” way to make something great.
Most of all, I’ve learned it’s okay to take your time, ask questions, and figure things out as you go.
Skön Noir is still growing—and so am I.
Newsletter SKÖN NOIR Campaigns
Newsletter SKÖN NOIR Campaigns
As part of our education, we created newsletters with the flexibility to shape the content and approach. Each campaign was designed to engage audiences while aligning with brand values.
Welcome Email: This email introduces the brand’s mission, values, and products. It includes a discount code to encourage first-time purchases and can evolve into a series for deeper engagement.
Informative: A guide on supporting neurodivergent employees in the workplace, focusing on flexibility, communication, and inclusivity.
Holiday Campaign: Noir Friday, a sustainable take on Black Friday, promotes mindful shopping over mass consumption.
This project strengthened skills in email marketing, engagement strategy, and brand storytelling.
welcome email
informative email
noir friday email
Skön’s Noir website
When I started Skön Noir, I wasn’t just building a brand — I was building something personal.
Something that reflects real people, real stories, and real struggles — and that includes my own.
I knew I wanted a website that felt alive — accessible, authentic, and centered around connection, not just sales.
But bringing that vision to life was harder than I expected.
Building SKÖN NOIR
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Building SKÖN NOIR *
When building Skön Noir, the goal was not just to increase visibility, but to connect with the right audience — individuals who are neurodivergent, sustainability-focused, and identity-conscious.
The focus was on creating an SEO strategy that felt genuine and aligned with the brand’s values.
Tools and Approach
I started by researching how people talk about inclusive fashion, sustainability, and identity, using tools like Ahrefs, AnswerThePublic, Google Keyword Planner, and SEMrush.
Why I Didn’t Focus on "Black Clothing"
Along the way, I compared competitors like Blvck and Turn Black to better understand their strategies and spot opportunities where Skön Noir could stand apart.
Although black clothing has high search volume, it didn’t fully align with Skön Noir’s values.
I still use it where relevant, but it’s not a main focus.
Instead, I prioritized keywords that reflect identity, belonging, and timeless style — not just color or trends.
Choosing Keywords with User Intent
When choosing keywords, I focused on user intent — thinking about what people truly need, not just what they search most often.
That’s why I prioritized keywords with real emotional meaning, not just high-volume trends.
Keywords I Focused On:
Inclusive fashion
Disability and fashion
Timeless fashion
Noir fashion
I also searched for terms like neurodivergent fashion and neurodivergent fashion designers, but at the time, there wasn’t enough search volume.
It’s a space I hope to help grow in the future.
Before SEO: The Challenge of Fixing Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Before I could focus on SEO, I had to fix Skön Noir’s performance.
The LCP score was low because large images and banners slowed the homepage.
I turned to ChatGPT, tutorials, and blog posts for help — even tried coding fixes.
Newsflash: it ended with a bit of swearing and a deleted homepage banner.
Eventually, I learned about WebP images, caching, and better layout practices.
I invested in Astra Pro, WP Rocket, Imagify, and a more optimized theme from Superb Themes, which helped improve speed and stabilize the site.
APPLYING KEYWORDS
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APPLYING KEYWORDS *
Once performance was stabilized, I shifted my focus to SEO.
I applied my selected keywords across key parts of the site, includin
Page titles and headings
Meta descriptions
Alt text for images
Product descriptions
Homepage and Contact/FAQ page copy
I used Yoast SEO to help integrate keywords naturally and avoid overuse.
The focus was on keeping the content clear, accessible, and meaningful while ensuring that the right audience could find Skön Noir.
In one case, I added the term black clothing — not because it fully reflected the brand’s core message, but to help explain the visual concept and balance overall keyword use.
It was a small adjustment to maintain SEO performance without losing the brand voice.
accessibility Improvements
At first, I didn’t think about how dark text and background colors could affect readability.
But as someone with ADHD and auditory processing disorder, I quickly understood how small changes can make a big difference — and that good alt text also helps SEO.
Using Web Accessibility Checker and WAVE, I made updates to:
Improve color contrast
Strengthen alt text and ARIA labels
Simplify navigation for easier access
Accessibility is an ongoing process, and I’m committed to making Skön Noir more inclusive as the brand grows.
It’S SEM TIME
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It’S SEM TIME *
After fixing SEO and performance, I started planning Skön Noir’s paid strategy.
The goal was to reach the right audience — people who care about inclusion, identity, and timeless fashion.
I drafted a Google Ads search campaign, choosing keywords carefully and writing ad copy that stayed true to the brand voice.
To measure success, I would track clicks, CTR, conversions, and CPC.
For a real launch, I would also set up a Google Shopping campaign through Merchant Center to show product images and track deeper actions like add-to-cart and purchases.
Visual Style and AI Tools
I used ChatGPT to help create prompts for generating photorealistic images with Midjourney and Canva.
Along the way, I studied Scandinavian visual styles — especially inspired by photographers like Camilla Åkrans — to keep the look timeless, clean, and emotional.
This helped bring Skön Noir’s vision to life visually, blending modern tools with meaningful storytelling.
REFLECTION OF MY JOURNEY
Creating Skön Noir wasn’t easy.
There were moments of self-doubt, frustration, swearing, and feeling completely stuck.
But every challenge pushed me to learn, adapt, and keep going — even when it felt overwhelming.
Through this project, I built real skills in SEO, SEM, accessibility, branding, visual storytelling, and using AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney to support creative work.
I also learned how important it is to have a sense of humor — and to laugh when things go wrong.
The Skills I Built On
SEO strategy and content optimization
SEM campaign planning and keyword targeting
Keyword research and intent analysis
Website performance optimization (Largest Contentful Paint improvements)
Accessibility improvements (alt text, ARIA labels, color contrast, navigation)
Brand development and storytelling
Visual content creation (Adobe Illustrator, Midjourney, Canva)
AI-assisted prompt writing and research (ChatGPT)
Basic coding troubleshooting and WordPress management
Google Site Kit setup and analytics tracking
Product visualization and Scandinavian visual style research (inspired by Camilla Åkrans)
E-commerce readiness planning (Google Merchant Center and Shopping Ads)
Social Media Style Guide
As part of my content creation practice, I made a social media style guide for Skön Noir.
It helps keep the brand’s voice, visuals, and message clear and consistent. I included tone of voice, posting rules, content types, platform tips, and how to connect with the audience in an honest way.
Everything is based on the brand’s values like softness, inclusion, and quiet strength.
THE VIDEOS
This is some of the content I made while learning and experimenting. I used Sora AI, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Illustrator, and CapCut.
Each piece combines design, writing, and editing. I focused on Skön Noir’s tone and visual style, using emotion and identity as the core of the storytelling.
I’m still learning how to bring ideas to life through content, and this has been a way to explore and grow.
