A timeless redesign for a global investment firm
Elio partnered with Hayden Capital to redesign their website from the ground up, creating a digital presence that feels timeless while delivering modern performance. We refined their brand into a more flexible color system, rebuilt the site on contemporary technology to achieve load times more than three times faster, and centered the experience around investor letters and research. Subtle imagery and thoughtful interactions elevate the web experience, resulting in a high-performance website that reflects Hayden Capital’s discipline and long-term mindset.
Brand Identity
An evolution of an established identity
Hayden Capital came to the project with an existing brand they valued, including a strong logo and a restrained primary color palette. Rather than reinventing the identity, we focused on careful expansion. The color system was extended into a softer, more nuanced palette that allowed the website to feel calm, elegant, and composed across a wide range of content. Inspired by the atmosphere of a contemporary art gallery, the visual language is modern and clean, with a measured use of space and subtle contrast.
“Studio Elio was a pleasure to work with. Our website needed upgrading after a decade, and they fully re-designed both the look & backend, in mere weeks. Would absolutely recommend, if you need a custom, modernized website.”
Fred Liu
Founder, Hayden Capital
Headless CMS
Investor communication at the core
Investor letters, research, and long-form materials sit at the center of Hayden Capital’s relationship with its investors. As part of the migration from WordPress, we carefully preserved decades of historical letters and content while rethinking how this material is experienced on the site. We designed and built a custom investor letters and research browser that makes it easy to explore both current and past content through clear organization and intuitive filtering. On the backend, the system is powered by Sanity, a headless CMS that streamlines publishing and content management for the Hayden Capital team. The result is a platform that reinforces trust, confidence, and thought leadership.
Animation and Experience
Elegant, thoughtful animations
In the home page hero, we created a custom canvas with a watercolor-inspired rendering of Washington Square Park that responds to mouse movement, giving the page a dynamic, interactive feel. The load-in animation is refined and understated, setting a tone of sophistication. As users scroll, sequenced fade-ins, border-drawing effects, and storytelling animations appear naturally, adding depth while keeping the interface clear and readable.
