Art Direction Lead Creative · London, UK · in City of London

Welcome to Motel. Our story began during a road trip in the 1990s, where our founders, Will and Andy, travelled across America collecting vintage items while living out of motels. They started purchasing vintage clothing in the USA and selling it wholesale, which eventually led to the creation of stores. From there, they began designing reworked vintage pieces, and thus, Motel was born. Over 30 years and a team of 200+ people later, every piece of clothing we make is created with the same spirit of fun, freedom and adventure as the road trip that first defined the brand. We’re still ambitious and independent, but now we’re a global team - we work from an operational base in Worcester, a design studio in London and a creative studio in Bali.

The role: We’re looking for a highly organised, creative, and commercially aware Art Direction Lead to join our team. This hybrid role will be responsible for taking the Creative Director’s vision and managing it from concept to delivery, ensuring every project is executed flawlessly while maintaining the Motel brand’s bold, trend‑led aesthetic. You’ll play a central role in shaping the visual identity of Motel across campaigns, lookbooks, digital content, and social media, balancing strategic creative direction with meticulous project management. This is a hands‑on role that combines leadership, creativity, and organisation. Mentoring the Creative Executives, coordinating cross‑functional teams, and keeping projects on track from start to finish.

Main tasks & responsibilities:

• Creative & Campaign Direction: Work with the Creative Director to develop seasonal campaign concepts and creative assets. Translate briefs into actionable plans and oversee the end-to-end execution of photoshoots and content creation. Ensure visual outputs are innovative, on‑brand, and consistent across all channels.
• Project Management & Process Leadership: Manage timelines, budgets, and resources for creative projects, ensuring all deliverables are met on schedule. Work closely with the Creative Operations Manager to streamline workflows and maintain clear communication across teams. Identify potential challenges early and proactively provide solutions to keep projects on track.
• Content Creation & Brand Guardianship: Direct photo and video shoots, ensuring styling, set design, and photography reflect the brand’s DNA. Deliver high‑quality assets for e‑commerce, social media, digital marketing, and retail channels. Maintain and evolve the visual identity of the brand while ensuring consistency across all platforms.
• Team Leadership & Collaboration: Mentor and guide the Creative Executives, delegating tasks and fostering their development. Collaborate effectively with internal teams; buying, styling, brand, digital marketing, and e‑commerce, to align creative outputs with commercial objectives. Encourage a collaborative and creative environment while maintaining structure and accountability.
• Innovation & Trend Awareness: Stay plugged into culture, fashion, and social media trends to inspire forward‑thinking creative concepts. Identify opportunities for innovative campaigns and content that engage and excite our audience.

About you:

• Skills & Experience: Proven experience as an Art Director or similar role within fashion, retail, or youth-focused lifestyle brands. Strong portfolio showcasing campaign direction, art direction, and digital-first content. Excellent eye for photography, styling, and design, with strong visual storytelling skills. Confident in leading shoots and collaborating with photographers, stylists, and production teams. Highly organised with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously. Experience mentoring junior creatives and leading cross‑functional teams. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite; familiarity with motion/video content creation is a plus.
• Attributes: Deeply plugged into fashion, music, and youth culture. Bold, creative thinker with a passion for storytelling. Commercially minded—able to balance creativity with business objectives. Energetic, adaptable, and thrives in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment. Strong communicator with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans and guide teams to deliver on that vision.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary in line with industry benchmarking.
• 3% pension contributions from Motel; dependant on 5% pension contributions from yourself.
• 25 days annual leave; with additional days for long service.
• Birthday day off post probation.
• Team socials and meetups.
• Monthly well‑being activities to support your health and wellbeing.
• Tailored progression pathways.
• A thorough health support service.
• Access to professional support & mentoring.
• Bonus Scheme for all employees, paid out twice a year at management discretion.
• Motel discount.
• Motel is a growth mentality company.
• Option to work from home 2 days a week post probation.

At Motel Rocks, we value and believe in fostering an inclusive and diverse environment for our employees, customers, and partners. We are committed to building a brand that celebrates differences and promotes equal opportunities.