Nahom Kasa recently shared something that caught my attention because it was both confident and oddly specific: "Ahem... Ahem...

Sometimes you’ve just got to show it off.

Today I did, although it’s only my 5th day of UI/UX.

Here is what I designed." That mix of playful bravado and beginner honesty is exactly why people stop scrolling.

Nahom also added the context that makes the work matter: the site was for his sister, and he built it on the last day of a challenge by Bereket Daniel. In other words, it was not a random Dribbble shot. It was a real project, with a real client, under a real deadline.

What I want to do here is expand on the principles Nahom listed, explain why they work (especially for a fashion or craft brand), and pull out the quiet lesson in his post: constraints and clarity create better design, faster.

Key insight: A small, personal brief plus a clear set of rules can outperform weeks of vague exploration.

The hidden power of "day 5" design

Nahom called out that it was only his fifth day in UI-UX, and that line does two things at once:

It lowers the barrier for the reader. People think, "If he can make something compelling that fast, maybe I can start too."
It raises the stakes. When the result looks polished, the gap between "day 5" and "this feels premium" becomes the story.

That is also why his breakdown of principles landed. He did not just post a pretty layout. He explained the logic behind it. In a world where many viral posts are pure output, explanation is a differentiator.

A quick recap of the project brief

From Nahom's summary, the concept was a website for his sister's business, rooted in Ethiopian craftsmanship and the manual loom process, but presented with a high-fashion sensibility. That tension is a great creative constraint:

Editorial, luxury styling
Genuine, local, handmade process
A brand voice that is modern but not disconnected from origin

When your brief includes both "aspirational" and "authentic," your design system has to carry the story. The principles Nahom chose are a smart way to do that.

The 1:10 typographic scale: luxury through contrast

Nahom wrote: "The 1:10 Typographic Scale: Using a massive difference between headlines and body text to create an immediate sense of luxury."

Big type is not just a trend. In luxury branding, oversized headlines function like a gallery wall: they slow you down and signal confidence. A 1:10 scale (for example, 64px headlines with 16px body) creates hierarchy so strong that even minimal layouts feel intentional.

If you want to use this principle well:

Keep body text calm and readable (line-height matters more than people think).
Reduce competing elements around the headline so it can "own" the moment.
Pair the type with fewer, stronger images rather than many average ones.

Key insight: Luxury often looks like "less," but it is really "less, with stronger hierarchy."

The broken 12-column grid: controlled asymmetry

Nahom described: "The Broken 12-Column Grid: Creating an intentional, rhythmic asymmetry that mimics the movement of a manual loom."

A standard 12-column grid is the backbone of many responsive layouts because it is predictable. Breaking it is risky, but when it is done with rhythm, it can feel handcrafted, not chaotic.

The phrase that matters here is "intentional". A broken grid still needs alignment points. Think of it like music: syncopation works because the beat still exists.

Practical ways to apply this:

Keep a few anchors consistent (margins, baseline grid, or a recurring column start).
Break the grid in repeated patterns, not random one-offs.
Use asymmetry to guide attention toward product details (fabric texture, stitching, weave).

In a craft brand, this is more than aesthetics. The layout can echo the making process. That is what Nahom is pointing at with the loom reference.

Negative space as value: making the craft feel expensive

Nahom wrote: "Negative Space as Value: Prioritizing 'breathing room' to ensure the craftsmanship of the garments remains the focal point."

This is one of the simplest principles to say and one of the hardest to practice, because it requires restraint. Negative space is not emptiness. It is emphasis.

For product and fashion sites, space does at least three jobs:

It reduces cognitive load so the viewer notices texture and silhouette.
It increases perceived quality. Crowded pages feel like discount racks.
It gives photography room to communicate, especially editorial shots.

If you are designing for a small business, negative space also helps with imperfect assets. When photos vary in lighting or quality, space and structure can still make the overall page feel premium.

Technical metadata: authenticity without shouting

Nahom's line here is wonderfully specific: "Technical Metadata: Using monospaced fonts and geographic coordinates to ground the brand in its authentic Ethiopian roots."

This is a great example of adding "proof" without a big paragraph of claims. Coordinates, workshop notes, material specs, or process timestamps can create a documentary feel. Monospace type reinforces that "logbook" vibe.

The trick is to keep metadata supportive, not distracting:

Place it in margins, captions, or small blocks near imagery.
Use it consistently so it becomes part of the brand system.
Pick details that are real. Authenticity collapses when metadata feels invented.

Key insight: Small facts can do the work that big slogans fail to do.

Visual narrative: editorial to atelier

Nahom explained the narrative shift: "Transitioning from high-fashion editorial shots to the raw, manual process of the 'Atelier.'"

That sequence is smart because it mirrors how trust is built:

Attraction: editorial imagery creates desire.
Credibility: process imagery explains why the product deserves attention.
Connection: the atelier and hands-on making create human warmth.

On a homepage, this can become a clear flow:

Hero section: statement image plus bold type.
Mid-page: materials, weaving, dyeing, or tailoring.
Lower sections: product grid, testimonials, shipping and care.

For Ethiopian-rooted craftsmanship, this approach also avoids a common trap: relying only on "heritage" language. Instead, you show the work.

The content strategy lesson inside the design post

Nahom ended with: "Anyway, let me see how many of you say 'Damn.'" That line is playful, but it is also a clear call to engage.

If you study viral posts (even small ones), a common pattern appears:

A hook that signals personality ("Ahem... Ahem...")
A constraint that raises interest ("only my 5th day of UI/UX")
A human reason to care ("for my sister")
A useful breakdown (the principles)
A simple prompt (invite a reaction)

This is why the post works as LinkedIn content: it gives both inspiration and instruction. People can compliment the work, but they can also learn from it, which increases comments from designers, developers, and curious beginners.

If you want to apply Nahom's approach on your next project

Here is the practical takeaway I would steal from this:

Choose a real micro-brief: a friend, a sibling, a local business.
Pick 3-5 rules before you design (type scale, grid behavior, spacing, narrative flow).
Make the rules visible in your critique: explain what you did and why.
Tie visuals to meaning: a broken grid is not "cool" unless it supports the story.
End with a question or prompt that matches your tone.

You do not need years of experience to do this. You need a clear intent and the discipline to let a few principles carry the whole experience.

This blog post expands on a viral LinkedIn post by Nahom Kasa, 2nd Year Civil Engineering Student @ AAU | Full-stack Developer | Building Beams & Bits. View the original LinkedIn post →