Reinventing retail. The Rue LaLa way.
Rue LaLa
Reinventing retail. The Rue LaLa way.
The situation
When Smartbargains.com envisioned creating a transformative shopping destination for exclusive, high-end deals, they turned to Tank Design to bring their vision to life. The goal was ambitious: to craft a new brand that would resonate deeply with a select audience, combining luxury, exclusivity, and an effortless shopping experience. With our expertise in brand strategy, naming, visual identity, and user interface design, we helped launch Rue LaLa, a private, flash-sale fashion website that redefined the online retail landscape. The result was a platform that not only stood out in a crowded marketplace but also captured the imagination of millions of shoppers.
Brand identityNamingUI design & development
After successfully carving out a space in the online retail industry, Rue LaLa was able to acquire Gilt Groupe in 2018, forming the Rue Gilt Groupe with more than 20 million members.
Brand naming
A Destination of Aspirations
When it came to naming Rue LaLa, we wanted to craft something that went beyond a functional label
It needed to evoke emotion, aspiration, and a sense of place. Our approach began by exploring the essence of what this brand aimed to offer: a destination for personal indulgence, a curated experience that felt intimate yet exclusive. Inspired by the charm of French elegance, the name needed to embody sophistication while remaining approachable and memorable.
The idea of “Rue” emerged as a metaphorical location—a street where dreams and desires come to life. It positioned the brand as a personalized journey, inviting shoppers into a world where their unique aspirations could be realized. To amplify this sense of discovery and delight, we paired it with “LaLa,” capturing the essence of an “Ooh La La” moment—those instances of awe and excitement when encountering something truly special. The result was a name that felt personal, aspirational, and brimming with the joy of discovery, setting the perfect tone for a brand that continues to inspire and delight.
Tank’s Brand Framework
Build the brand. Shape the experience.
Tank’s Brand Framework is a structured approach to building brands—from research and strategy to positioning, messaging and visual identity. From that foundation, we define the experience principles that guide how the brand behaves and how people interact with it across digital products, platforms and touchpoints.
Start with what if
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Brand identity
Tank’s approach to Rue LaLa’s brand identity was driven by a shared vision
To create a visual presence that stood out in the competitive retail landscape. After auditing the industry, we saw a sea of sameness in online retail branding—often too polished, too safe, or overly exclusive. We sought to break away from the norm with something bold and cheeky yet approachable, reflecting Rue LaLa’s diverse audience.
The resulting logo encapsulates this philosophy. Its fluid, hand-drawn script strikes the perfect balance between sophistication and playfulness, exuding a sense of charm that is both modern and timeless. The flowing letterforms and dynamic movement in the design evoke a feeling of spontaneity and delight, speaking directly to the aspirational yet relatable nature of Rue LaLa. It’s a brand mark that invites shoppers to experience the “Ooh La La” moment—provocative but not pretentious, inviting but never intimidating. This identity became the cornerstone of a brand that feels as personal and unique as the treasures it offers.
Building the flash sale experience at scale
Making every flash sale feel like a brand moment.
At the launch of Rue LaLa, Tank designed, edited and produced premium short-form video content for the members-only fashion e-commerce experience. Featuring brands including Prada, Juicy Couture, Wolford, Kate Spade and many more, the videos lived within Rue LaLa’s daily flash sales—bringing each brand to life, building anticipation and making every limited-time boutique feel like a distinct editorial event. The content was also designed to be shareable, extending the energy and discovery of Rue LaLa beyond the site.
With new brands and sales launching continuously, Tank created a scalable digital content and production system capable of delivering premium video at speed. Every execution had to respect the visual identity of the featured fashion brand while remaining unmistakably part of Rue LaLa. By combining short-form video production, luxury brand stewardship and scalable content design, Tank helped turn the flash-sale model into a richer, more engaging digital shopping experience—without sacrificing brand integrity as Rue LaLa grew.
UI development
In addition to the brand language, we also created the presentation layer of the website, collaborating with internal production and external development teams to deliver a site that was ready for frequent, on-brand updates and new product offerings.
Visit the Rue LaLa site
In 2019, Rue Gilt Groupe received a $280 million investment from Simon Property Group to launch a new website for outlet shopping.
Defining a brand built on discovery
Tank helped define Rue LaLa as more than an e-commerce destination—creating a fashion brand centered on access, discovery and the thrill of finding something unexpected. Through brand strategy, positioning, personality and visual expression, we established a distinctive point of view that balanced the energy of fashion with a sense of exclusivity and discovery.
That foundation gave Rue LaLa a recognizable voice and identity across every touchpoint. From messaging and imagery to the digital shopping experience, Tank created a brand system designed to make every interaction feel curated, desirable and unmistakably Rue LaLa.
