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Creative Director

Detroit, Michigan

ABOUT SHINOLA

At Shinola, we make beautiful, enduring, handcrafted goods that are built to be lived in, worn out, and well-loved.  Our thoughtful craftsmanship, timeless design, and spirited stories inspire our customers to live well, with confidence & joy—in a style that is uniquely their own!  Because we are a growing and evolving company, each employee is a key stakeholder, making decisions every day that directly impact our overall vision and direction. At Shinola, you’ll have the opportunity to make a significant contribution at the start of what we believe will become an iconic American brand.  

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and requires a balance of long-term brand building with short-term demand generation. Shinola is seeking a Creative Director to lead our brand’s creative vision and execution across all channels. This role will oversee design, content, and storytelling, ensuring that every touchpoint—from product launches to campaigns—embodies Shinola’s distinct aesthetic and values. This is a leadership position that requires a balance of strategic thinking, hands-on design expertise, and team mentorship. The ideal candidate is a visionary creative leader who understands how to blend heritage with innovation, craftsmanship with commerce, and storytelling with strategy.

Key Responsibilities

  • Brand Stewardship: Define and evolve Shinola’s creative direction, maintaining consistency across all visual and narrative elements.
  • Campaign Development: Lead concepting and execution of seasonal and product campaigns, ensuring they reflect our brand’s ethos and resonate with our audience.
  • Design Leadership: Oversee the design and art direction across digital, print, retail, packaging, and product storytelling.
  • Product Design Collaboration: Work closely with the product design team to help set the creative direction, ensuring alignment with brand aesthetics and storytelling.
  • Content Strategy: Partner with marketing and e-commerce teams to develop compelling content for social, web, email, advertising, and video.
  • Team Leadership: Mentor and manage the internal creative team, as well as external agencies and freelancers.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product design, marketing, and merchandising to align creative efforts with business objectives.
  • Innovation & Trends: Stay ahead of design and cultural trends, ensuring Shinola remains relevant while staying true to its DNA.

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in a creative leadership role, either within a premium lifestyle, fashion, or heritage brand, or at an agency working with such brands.
  • A deep appreciation for craftsmanship, design, and storytelling.
  • Strong portfolio showcasing a blend of brand-building, campaign work, and innovative design solutions.
  • Proven ability to lead and inspire creative teams.
  • Experience working across multiple channels, including digital, print, retail, and video production.
  • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present and sell creative concepts.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Why Shinola?

At Shinola, we don’t just make things—we make them meaningful. As Creative Director, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how our brand looks, feels, and connects with the world. You’ll have the opportunity to work with passionate people, create products with purpose, and contribute to a company that values authenticity, quality, and craftsmanship.

If you’re ready to lead with creativity and bring your vision to a brand with a strong heritage and a bold future, we’d love to hear from you.

Note: This job description is not meant to be all-inclusive.  Employee may be required to perform other duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Filson and Shinola are equal opportunity employers. We believe that every employee has the right to work in surroundings which are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination.  It is our policy that all decisions involving any aspect of the employment relationship will be made without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, veteran and military status, genetic information, political ideology or any other status or characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.  Discrimination and/or harassment based on any of those factors are totally inconsistent with our philosophy of doing business and will not be tolerated.

With regard to applicants or employees with disabilities, the company offers what the law refers to as "reasonable accommodation" to enable a person to perform his or her job.

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