Brand and Marketing Director

Reports to: Managing Director

About us

De Mellier is a London-based brand that was founded with the vision of doing things differently: to design handbags that would make women feel empowered, made ethically and sustainably, while giving back to those who need it most.

These principles guide everything we do.

All our pieces are crafted ethically in Europe using the finest sustainably sourced materials.

We champion equality, and for every piece sold, we fund vaccines and medical treatments aimed at saving the life of a child in need.

So far, through our permanent charity initiative, ‘A Bag, A Life’, in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages, we have funded over 2.5 million vaccines.

Join us and be part of an award-winning, purpose-driven brand that fosters creativity, collaboration, and meaningful impact within the luxury industry.

The role

We are seeking an exceptional Brand & Marketing Director to lead De Mellier's global brand, marketing and communications strategy.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, this is a pivotal leadership role that will shape the next phase of the company's growth and strengthen De Mellier's position as a leading contemporary luxury brand.

Working closely with the Managing Director and Founder, you will define and evolve De Mellier's brand vision, visual identity and creative direction, ensuring every customer touchpoint reflects the brand's distinctive aesthetic, craftsmanship and values.

You will set the creative standard across campaigns, photography, content and communications, balancing exceptional brand building with measurable commercial impact.

Leading a high-performing multidisciplinary team across Creative, Graphic Design, PR & Communications, Marketing, Social Media, Content and Brand Activations, you will work in close partnership with Product, E-commerce, Retail, Wholesale and Operations to ensure the brand is consistently expressed throughout the customer journey.

This role is ideal for an inspiring leader who combines strategic thinking with exceptional creative judgement, has experience building premium or luxury brands, and is passionate about creating distinctive brand experiences that drive long-term desirability, cultural relevance and commercial growth.

Responsibilities

• Strategy, Leadership & Performance
• Define and execute the global brand and marketing strategy.
• Translate business objectives into integrated marketing plans, budgets and KPIs.
• Act as a strategic partner to the Founder and Managing Director.
• Lead, inspire and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary Brand, Creative & Marketing team.
• Build a high-performance culture through coaching, feedback and succession planning.
• Develop a scalable marketing organisation, evolving team structure, capabilities and ways of working.
• Own the annual brand and marketing calendar, aligning campaigns, launches and commercial priorities.
• Champion cross-functional collaboration across Commercial, Creative, Product, E-commerce, Operations and Customer Experience.
• Define and report against marketing KPIs, ensuring measurable commercial impact and ROI.
• Balance long-term brand building with short-term commercial performance.
• Brand Positioning & Creative Direction
• Define, strengthen and evolve De Mellier’s global brand positioning.
• Own and continuously evolve the brand identity, visual language and tone of voice.
• Establish clear brand guidelines and governance across all touchpoints.
• Define the creative vision for seasonal campaigns and integrated brand storytelling in collaboration with the Founder.
• Partner closely with the Art Director on campaign concepts, photography, film and creative execution.
• Oversee creative quality and consistency across all channels and markets.
• Champion the brand internally, embedding brand standards across the business.
• Monitor competitor activity, market trends and cultural movements to strengthen De Mellier’s positioning.
• Integrated Marketing & Communications
• Develop and lead integrated marketing strategies across owned and earned channels in collaboration with the Commercial Director.
• Oversee PR, Communications, Influencer Marketing, Social Media and Content.
• Define the content strategy and editorial planning across all platforms.
• Lead campaign planning and execution across digital, retail and brand channels.
• Oversee partnerships, collaborations, events and brand activations.
• Ensure all communications reflect De Mellier’s values, positioning and creative standards.
• Drive consistent storytelling and a seamless brand experience across every customer touchpoint.
• Continuously innovate marketing approaches to maximise brand awareness and engagement.
• Customer, Community & Advocacy
• Champion a deep understanding of the customer across the business.
• Embed customer insight into marketing strategy, product storytelling and commercial decision-making.
• Develop customer segmentation and identify new audience and market opportunities.
• Build and nurture a global community of customers, press, influencers and brand advocates.
• Develop advocacy programmes, ambassador initiatives and community-building experiences.
• Strengthen customer loyalty through meaningful brand experiences and engagement.
• Partner with Product and Design to ensure customer insight informs product innovation and storytelling.
• Innovation & AI
• Identify and implement AI technologies that enhance creativity, customer insight, marketing effectiveness and operational efficiency.
• Foster a culture of responsible AI adoption across the marketing and creative teams.
• Encourage experimentation with emerging AI tools and technologies.
• Improve the speed, quality and effectiveness of creative development, content creation and marketing execution.
• Continuously evaluate new technologies, platforms and ways of working that strengthen De Mellier’s competitive advantage.
• Balance innovation with brand authenticity, governance and premium customer experience.

Requirements

• 15+ years' experience in senior brand and marketing leadership roles, ideally within luxury, premium fashion or lifestyle brands.
• A proven track record of building and scaling brands across international markets, delivering both brand equity and commercial growth.
• Significant experience leading creative direction and integrated marketing campaigns for a premium or luxury brand.
• Exceptional visual judgement, with a refined understanding of luxury aesthetics, art direction and photography.
• Experience partnering with creative teams and Art Directors to deliver best-in-class campaigns from concept through to execution.
• Deep expertise across brand strategy, creative direction, PR, influencer marketing, content, social media and integrated marketing.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing budgets, optimising marketing investment and delivering measurable ROI.
• A strategic mindset with the ability to leverage customer insights, market trends and data to shape brand strategy, influence product development and support commercial decision-making.
• An inspiring and collaborative leader with experience building, mentoring and leading high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Outstanding communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and build strong relationships at executive level.
• A passion for craftsmanship, sustainability, innovation and the evolving luxury landscape.
• Experience using AI and emerging technologies to enhance creativity, marketing performance and operational efficiency.
• The right to work in the UK.

Benefits

• Hybrid working
• Annual Leave package increases the longer you stay with us
• Enhanced company maternity policy
• Employee Discount: 50% off Stock and up to 90% off Seasonal Sample Sales
• Free gift De Mellier bag on successful probation
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