AKIRA ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PHOTOGRAPHY

The Position: VP, Retail Operations

Location: Corporate Headquarters in Chicago with 50-75% travel to 40+ stores

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Creative Director to define and elevate our brand through compelling, fashion-driven storytelling and best-in-class creative execution. This role will own and evolve the brand's visual identity, translating bold, statement-driven product into cohesive, high-impact narratives across all channels-digital, marketing, and in-store.

This is a senior leadership role for someone with a strong point of view, refined taste, and a proven ability to build and scale brand vision within the fashion industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the brand's visual identity, ensuring a clear, differentiated, and elevated point of view
• Lead seasonal storytelling and creative direction across campaigns, photoshoots, and brand moments
• Translate fashion trends, cultural insights, and competitive landscape into forward, relevant creative
• Oversee all creative output across eCommerce, site, email, social, paid media, and retail environments
• Develop and implement creative frameworks, guidelines, and visual systems across all touchpoints
• Partner closely with Marketing, Merchandising, and Production to align creative with business and product priorities
• Direct and oversee photo and video shoots, ensuring styling, casting, and execution reflect brand standards
• Maintain a high bar for taste, consistency, and innovation across all deliverables
• Lead, mentor, and inspire internal teams and external creative partners

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in fashion, beauty, luxury, or related industry
• Proven track record at well-known or culturally relevant fashion brands
• Strong portfolio demonstrating brand building, storytelling, and high-impact campaign execution
• Deep understanding of fashion, social, and cultural trends and how to translate them into compelling, commercial creative
• Experience leading creative teams and managing end-to-end campaign development
• Extensive experience directing photo and video shoots (studio and on-location)
• Strong visual instincts paired with strategic thinking and business awareness
• Experience working across digital and physical retail environments
• Understanding of performance, creative, social-first content, and modern content ecosystems
• Experience with motion, video, and experiential brand storytelling
• AI experience is a huge plus

Why This Role

• High-impact leadership role with ownership over brand vision and execution
• Opportunity to be part of a brand with real traction and momentum, at a pivotal stage of growth
• Collaborative, fast-moving environment with direct influence on both brand and business outcomes
• Platform to push creative boundaries and define what the brand becomes next

Benefits and Perks:
AKIRA offers competitive benefits for full-time employees, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet Insurance, Life, LTD, FSA/HSA/Dependent Care FSA, Flex Transit (CTA), 401(k), and a generous employee discount. We're committed to internal growth, providing meaningful development and career advancement opportunities.
Job Type: Full-Time

We are committed to fair and transparent compensation practices. Compensation for this position will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors. Additional compensation and benefits may also apply and will be discussed during the hiring process.

Department Web Production Role Associate Creative Director, Photography Locations Chicago Headquarters Yearly salary $120,000 - $145,000 Employment type Full-time