Newsletter #23: Shopify themes performance (episode 2), Sézane and Spotify Wrapped

Hi there,

I hope you're feeling good.

Last weekend, I spent an hour browsing Shopify’s live coverage of the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM). The website was beautifully designed and, most importantly, the figures were impressive!

Shopify merchants have set a new Black Friday record with a combined $9.3 billion in sales. This broke the 2022 record of $7.5 billion by 24%. 61 million consumers bought from Shopify-powered brands. Wow!

After this complete madness, merchants now have their eyes on their next goal: Christmas.

And so do I.

Tomorrow, I’m going to buy a Christmas tree and decorate it with my family. Nice times ahead!

In today's edition, we're discussing Shopify themes performance (episode 2), Sézane and Spotify Wrapped.

Let's dive in.

Work

Episode 2 of our Shopify themes performance series took place on October 25th. Kevin Miguet, the founder of the French Shopify agency Jolly Commerce, published the following tweet:

As you can see, Kevin’s tweet received a response from Michaël Gallego, co-founder and lead developer at Maestrooo, the French theme developers behind Focal, Impact, Prestige and Warehouse.

Michaël shared an interesting article, available to read here, presenting his vision and the outcomes of his experimentations concerning code splitting and script prioritization.

Continuing this conversation, Kevin and Michaël hosted a Twitter Space on November 17th, 2023, specifically focusing on theme performance within the constraints of the Shopify Theme Store.

During this live discussion, Michaël shared some valuable advice:

• Don’t split your CSS file and JavaScript file if their respective size is under 50kb. If you split them, you won’t be able to take advantage of the browser compression.

• Wrap your initialization code within an intersection observer to execute JavaScript functions only when the element appears on the page.

• Avoid using JavaScript for lazy loading. Instead, use native HTML attributes.

• As a general rule, prioritize native functionalities over libraries. Additionally, Michaël emphasized that designers should be conscious of what can and cannot be achieved natively. Introducing complexity or using libraries for minor design elements that do not add value to the store isn't worthwhile. For instance, creating an infinite carousel (which returns to the first slide when it finishes) requires significant JavaScript. Is it worth it?

• If you’re using libraries, create modules to load them only when necessary. For example, Michaël loads his lightbox library only when a user clicks to zoom on an image.

• Tools he recommends using:

  • Web Animations API

  • <dialog> for native modals

  • requestIdleCallback() method to queue functions to be called during a browser's idle periods, i.e. moments when the browser is not actively engaged in executing tasks or handling user interactions.

Learn more by listening to the replay of this Twitter Space here.

Inspire

Today, I’d like to tell you about a very special brand.

Why is this brand so special?

Because they managed to turn me into a big fan, even though I never shopped from them.

This brand is Sézane, a French fashion brand founded in 2013 by Morgane Sézalory.

In 2018, when I was studying in business school, one of my best friends was a huge fan of Sézane. Always dressed in it and constantly talking about it.

I thought I’d try something cool: I decided to contact Morgane Sézalory and ask if she could possibly surprise my friend with a unique Sézane experience. This could involve a tour of a Sézane store, a glimpse into how she works, or anything else that would make her feel special.

So, I did.

In October 2019, I emailed Morgane Sézalory and her assistant. I titled the email “Message from an optimist :)”.

24 hours later, I received a positive response from Morgane’s assistant, arranging an appointment with us in Paris, in a month, for a 'visit.'

I was over the moon!

I asked my friend to keep this day free and meet me in Paris, without revealing anything about our plans.

That day turned out to be incredible, a memory I’ll cherish for years.

Morgane’s assistant guided us through Sézane’s offices, introducing us to every person working there. They explained their roles and presented what they were working on. What an honor!

Later, Morgane’s assistant took us to a Sézane store. We went downstairs to discover where all the clothes were stored. She explained how they were stored and why.

Returning upstairs, she handed us two huge bags of gifts: one for my friend (who had stars in her eyes) and one for me. My friend’s bag included an extra gift—a handwritten card from Morgane Sézalory herself, thanking her and wishing her all the best. How amazing was that!

Sézane orchestrated everything perfectly for us.

At the end of the day, I thanked Morgane’s assistant a million times for this incredible experience. And I asked how often they do such things for their clients, given the exceptional organization. Her answer was very simple: we never did that before, because no one ever dared to ask.

Four years later, I still remember that day vividly. I haven’t shopped from Sézane, as it’s not my style of clothes, but I am still a fan. I've shared this story with all my friends, spreading the word about how much people at Sézane care. And, whenever I come across one of their shops, such as the one I saw in London last year, I always take a picture with a smile.

Learn more about Sézane on their website.

Explore

Something relaxing this weekend will be to dive into my Spotify Wrapped, to discover my statistics for the year: top artists, top songs, top podcasts, etc.

It’s always a great moment for me to reflect on the year like this and remember the associated memories.

One thing I already know: my top artist in 2023 is Meryl, a talented French artist whom I saw live earlier this year.

Here is one of her songs, “Jack Sparrow”.

Enjoy.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading this edition until the end.

I'll talk to you soon.

Take good care of yourself.

Coralie