There’s been a rise in business influencers and a specific rise in internet famous creative directors.

To date, brands have been at the forefront of leveraging creator relationships (Gordon Ramsay & HexClad) and some forward thinkers in SaaS are trying their own version of it.

We see content creators as the modern salespeople, masters of storytelling who drive brand success.

But first who is Virgil Abloh? and why should every agency have one?

Virgil Abloh was a creative visionary bridging streetwear and luxury, leaving a major mark in the industry.

He wasn't just a designer, but a cultural icon with a massive following who championed a unique design approach (often referred to as the "3% rule"). This approach blurred the lines between high fashion and streetwear, making luxury feel fresh and accessible.

Louis Vuitton's strategic decision to hire Abloh as their Creative Director in 2018 was a testament to his influence. 

Abloh's ability to merge these two worlds perfectly aligned with Louis Vuitton's desire to stay relevant in a rapidly changing fashion landscape.

So what is CIR?

CIR (Creatives in Residence) is us taking a page out of this playbook.

It’s where we bring powerhouse design thinkers into Vaan for short stints to observe ongoing work, give input, and promote the work externally.

Our CIR program challenges the traditional agency model. We envision ourselves as a design house fueled by creative collaboration, similar to how visionary designers like Virgil Abloh redefined luxury fashion.

The Internet’s Creative Director

meet our first creative - Oren John

Why did you choose to become a part of CIR?

“When Xavier from Vaan first reached out about his idea for a Creative in Residence Program, I was immediately interested.

We're in a unique moment in time when some of the only significant, useful storytelling being done in design and brand is being done on Instagram, TikTok and Youtube.  Podcasts have become endless hustle stories and niche tactics.  Legacy advertising media is lost and self-aggrandizing to big agency work that is less and less relevant every day.Critically, there's a gap between the messages creators tell online and the reality of the firms doing interesting work. To really understand and talk to what's happening in branding and in luxury, you have to be living both in the data of brand performance across a wide enough selection to form opinions, while also monitoring the consumer trends and sentiments happen online.  I feel with this program we have the chance to really bridge that gap together, and make interesting, relevant content that brand's can trust represents the realities their dealing with in the market.

In the next year we're going to see far less "sponsored posts" and far more creators working hand-in-hand with brands on content, strategy and actionable response to what's happening online.  And I'm excited to help experiment and write some of that future playbook hand-in-hand with the critical thinkers and excellent creatives at Vaan.

I'm excited for everyone's feedback on what comes next, starting with the multiple report about luxury online we're launching collaboratively here in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned!”

How to build a luxury brand

in partnership with HYPER

As part of CIR, we’re launching a report in partnership with HYPER, a research and consulting arm for the DTC and eComm community.

Building a brand, let alone a luxury one, has become exponentially more difficult.

In this report we break down trends and offer insights into the best digital strategies for luxury brands.

Use this link to sign up for your copy, coming soon.

Want to be our next creative in residence?

shoot us an email: [email protected]