diff --git a/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.empty-fallback.test.tsx b/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.empty-fallback.test.tsx
index 7e5da6cdb..729110deb 100644
--- a/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.empty-fallback.test.tsx
+++ b/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.empty-fallback.test.tsx
@@ -4,12 +4,18 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 
 import ContributorsSearch from './ContributorsSearch';
 
+function expectContributorsCount(container: HTMLElement, filtered: number, total: number) {
+  expect(container.textContent?.replace(/\s+/g, '').trim()).toContain(
+    `${filtered}/${total}contributors`
+  );
+}
+
 describe('ContributorsSearch empty fallback', () => {
   it('renders the fallback when the contributor collection is missing', () => {
-    render(<ContributorsSearch />);
+    const { container } = render(<ContributorsSearch />);
 
     expect(screen.getByText('No architects found')).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(screen.getByText('0 of 0 contributors')).toBeTruthy();
+    expectContributorsCount(container, 0, 0);
   });
 
   it('renders no contributor profile links for an empty collection', () => {
@@ -21,15 +27,15 @@ describe('ContributorsSearch empty fallback', () => {
 
   it('keeps the empty collection stable while searching and clearing', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
-    render(<ContributorsSearch contributors={[]} />);
+    const { container } = render(<ContributorsSearch contributors={[]} />);
 
     const input = screen.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Search contributors by name' });
     await user.type(input, 'missing contributor');
 
     expect(screen.getByText('No architects found')).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(screen.getByText('0 of 0 contributors')).toBeTruthy();
+    expectContributorsCount(container, 0, 0);
 
-    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear' }));
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search' }));
 
     expect(input).toHaveValue('');
     expect(screen.getByText('No architects found')).toBeTruthy();
@@ -37,7 +43,7 @@ describe('ContributorsSearch empty fallback', () => {
 
   it('moves from populated results to the fallback and back', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
-    render(
+    const { container } = render(
       <ContributorsSearch
         contributors={[
           {
@@ -58,8 +64,8 @@ describe('ContributorsSearch empty fallback', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('No architects found')).toBeTruthy();
     expect(screen.queryByRole('link')).toBeNull();
 
-    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear' }));
+    await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear search' }));
     expect(screen.getByRole('link', { name: /alice/i })).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(screen.getByText('1 of 1 contributors')).toBeTruthy();
+    expectContributorsCount(container, 1, 1);
   });
 });
diff --git a/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.theme-contrast.test.tsx b/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.theme-contrast.test.tsx
index df1c27811..8ca552897 100644
--- a/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.theme-contrast.test.tsx
+++ b/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.theme-contrast.test.tsx
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ describe('ContributorsSearch Theme Contrast Tests', () => {
 
     expect(input.className).toContain('dark:text-white');
 
-    expect(input.className).toContain('dark:placeholder:text-zinc-600');
+    expect(input.className).toContain('dark:placeholder:text-zinc-500');
   });
 
   it('applies dark and light border styling on contributor cards', () => {
diff --git a/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.tsx b/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.tsx
index bb7752826..cd2d7ef47 100644
--- a/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.tsx
+++ b/app/contributors/ContributorsSearch.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import { useState, useRef } from 'react';
 import Link from 'next/link';
 import Image from 'next/image';
-import { GitFork, Search } from 'lucide-react';
+import { GitFork, Search, X } from 'lucide-react';
 import { motion, AnimatePresence, Variants } from 'framer-motion';
 
 interface Contributor {
@@ -89,32 +89,40 @@ export default function ContributorsSearch({
   return (
     <>
       {/* SEARCH BAR */}
-      <div className="mx-auto mb-16 max-w-2xl" id="contributors">
+      <div className="mx-auto mb-16 max-w-xl" id="contributors">
         <div className="relative group">
-          {/* Animated gradient border */}
-          <div className="absolute -inset-[1px] rounded-2xl bg-gradient-to-r from-cyan-500 via-blue-500 to-purple-500 opacity-30 blur-sm group-focus-within:opacity-70 transition-opacity duration-500" />
-          <div className="relative flex items-center rounded-2xl bg-white dark:bg-[#0a0a0a] border border-black/10 dark:border-white/10">
-            <Search className="ml-5 h-5 w-5 text-zinc-500" />
+          {/* Hover/focus glow ring */}
+          <div className="absolute -inset-[2px] rounded-2xl bg-gradient-to-r from-cyan-500/40 via-blue-500/40 to-purple-500/40 opacity-0 group-focus-within:opacity-100 transition-all duration-500 blur-md" />
+          <div className="relative flex items-center rounded-2xl bg-white dark:bg-[#0a0a0a] border border-black/10 dark:border-white/10 shadow-sm dark:shadow-none shadow-black/5 transition-all duration-300 group-focus-within:border-cyan-500/40 dark:group-focus-within:border-cyan-400/40 group-focus-within:shadow-md group-focus-within:shadow-cyan-500/10 dark:group-focus-within:shadow-cyan-400/5">
+            <div className="ml-5 flex h-9 w-9 items-center justify-center rounded-lg bg-black/5 dark:bg-white/5">
+              <Search className="h-4 w-4 text-zinc-500 dark:text-zinc-400" />
+            </div>
             <input
               type="text"
               placeholder="Search the collective..."
               aria-label="Search contributors by name"
               value={search}
               onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
-              className="w-full bg-transparent px-4 py-5 text-lg text-black dark:text-white placeholder:text-zinc-400 dark:placeholder:text-zinc-600 outline-none font-light"
+              className="w-full bg-transparent px-4 py-3.5 text-base text-black dark:text-white placeholder:text-zinc-400 dark:placeholder:text-zinc-500 outline-none focus-visible:outline-none font-medium tracking-wide"
             />
             {search && (
               <button
                 onClick={() => setSearch('')}
-                className="mr-4 text-zinc-500 hover:text-black dark:hover:text-white transition-colors text-sm"
+                className="mr-3 flex h-7 w-7 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-zinc-400 hover:text-black dark:hover:text-white hover:bg-black/5 dark:hover:bg-white/10 transition-all"
+                aria-label="Clear search"
               >
-                Clear
+                <X className="h-4 w-4" />
               </button>
             )}
           </div>
         </div>
-        <div className="mt-3 text-center text-sm text-zinc-600">
-          {filtered.length} of {contributors.length} contributors
+        <div className="mt-4 text-center">
+          <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full bg-black/5 dark:bg-white/5 px-3.5 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-zinc-500 dark:text-zinc-400">
+            <span className="text-cyan-500 dark:text-cyan-400">{filtered.length}</span>
+            <span>/</span>
+            <span>{contributors.length}</span>
+            <span className="text-zinc-400 dark:text-zinc-500">contributors</span>
+          </span>
         </div>
       </div>
 
diff --git a/app/contributors/page.empty-fallback.test.tsx b/app/contributors/page.empty-fallback.test.tsx
index d1c52453d..7a8574fe0 100644
--- a/app/contributors/page.empty-fallback.test.tsx
+++ b/app/contributors/page.empty-fallback.test.tsx
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ describe('ContributorsPage empty fallback', () => {
 
   it('renders fallback UI when contributors are empty', async () => {
     const element = await ContributorsPage();
-    render(element);
+    const { container } = render(element);
 
     expect(screen.getByText(/No architects found/i)).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(screen.getByText(/0 of 0 contributors/i)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(container.textContent?.replace(/\s+/g, '')).toContain('0/0contributors');
     expect(screen.getByRole('heading', { name: /THE COLLECTIVE/i })).toBeTruthy();
     expect(screen.getByText(/READY TO BUILD\?/i)).toBeTruthy();
   });
@@ -109,10 +109,10 @@ describe('ContributorsPage empty fallback', () => {
   it('handles fetch failures gracefully and still renders fallback state', async () => {
     global.fetch = vi.fn(() => Promise.reject(new Error('Network failure'))) as any;
     const element = await ContributorsPage();
-    render(element);
+    const { container } = render(element);
 
     expect(screen.getByText(/No architects found/i)).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(screen.getByText(/0 of 0 contributors/i)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(container.textContent?.replace(/\s+/g, '')).toContain('0/0contributors');
   });
 
   it('handles non-ok API responses without breaking the page', async () => {
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@ describe('ContributorsPage empty fallback', () => {
     ) as any;
 
     const element = await ContributorsPage();
-    render(element);
+    const { container } = render(element);
 
     expect(screen.getByText(/No architects found/i)).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(screen.getByText(/0 of 0 contributors/i)).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(container.textContent?.replace(/\s+/g, '')).toContain('0/0contributors');
   });
 
   it('does not emit console errors when the fallback page renders', async () => {
diff --git a/app/globals.css b/app/globals.css
index 4e4cbb053..31486db0f 100644
--- a/app/globals.css
+++ b/app/globals.css
@@ -379,14 +379,16 @@ body {
 }
 
 /* ── Accessibility: visible focus ring ── */
-:focus-visible {
-  outline: 2px solid #58a6ff;
-  outline-offset: 2px;
-  border-radius: 4px;
-}
+@layer base {
+  :focus-visible {
+    outline: 2px solid #58a6ff;
+    outline-offset: 2px;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+  }
 
-:focus:not(:focus-visible) {
-  outline: none;
+  :focus:not(:focus-visible) {
+    outline: none;
+  }
 }
 
 /* ── Accessibility: reduced motion ── */