Scaling creative
across global markets
When I joined 2XU, the business was still in a rapid growth phase. The team was small, responsibilities were broad and there was little separation between disciplines.
That environment gave me the opportunity to work across almost every part of the brand — from catalogues and marketing collateral through to retail assets, event materials and campaign execution. Rather than specialising early, I was exposed to the entire process of building a performance brand.
"Working across the whole brand early in my career meant I understood how the parts connected. That's something you can't learn from a single specialised role."
I led campaign execution, art direction, retail creative, lookbooks, product launches, marketing collateral and brand implementation across APAC and the US. I designed the layouts, art directed the photoshoots and managed delivery across multiple markets.
Each season required a creative platform that could extend across photography, retail, ecommerce, paid media and lookbook simultaneously. The photography direction had to feel premium and performance-credible while remaining commercially functional across very different retail environments.
Art directing at this scale means being precise about what can flex and what cannot. The photography style can adapt to market context. The brand's visual positioning cannot.
Seasonal lookbook spreads — product launch photography
I designed seasonal lookbooks and product catalogues that had to work as both brand documents and commercial tools. The tension between editorial quality and functional clarity is something you navigate every time — too editorial and it doesn't sell product; too commercial and it stops feeling like a brand you want to be associated with.
Retail assets for 2XU needed to function across very different environments — from specialist running and triathlon stores to broader sporting goods retailers. The same season's creative had to work as a premium in-store poster and a generic shelf barker. Building systems that accommodate that range without compromising at either end is a specific skill.
As the business expanded into new markets, maintaining consistency became increasingly important. I helped develop and implement creative systems that allowed campaigns, retail materials and product communications to remain cohesive as the brand grew.
The experience taught me the value of structure, process and brand consistency — principles that have shaped every role I've held since.