We're working with Studio XAG to Find Their Next Design Director

Studio XAG is an independent creative agency that creates immersive brand experiences for clients including Hermès, Acne Studios, Ikea, Selfridges and Bulgari. Their work sits at the intersection of branding, retail, experiential design and culture, helping some of the world’s leading brands translate ideas into physical experiences.

We wanted to work with Studio XAG because there is a clear point of view behind both the work they produce and the clients they choose. They’re a studio that demonstrates curiosity, but not without direction. They pay attention to where culture is heading, question how brands should respond to it and consistently create work that feels considered rather than reactive.

We interviewed Studio XAG’s Co-Founder and Creative Director Gemma Ruse to discuss where the studio is heading, what the role genuinely owns, who it reports to and what day-to-day life as Design Director looks like.

Why are you hiring a Design Director now, and what opportunity does this create for the person joining?

The role has been created because StudioXAG is entering its next chapter. As the studio has grown, we’ve reached a point where we need another layer of creative leadership to help raise the standard of the work, develop our people and unlock capacity for the wider leadership team.

You’re not stepping into a well-trodden position or replacing someone; you’re helping define what great Design Direction looks like at StudioXAG and influencing how the Creative Studio evolves over the coming years.

What challenge or gap are you hoping the Design Director will help solve within the studio?

This isn’t about filling a gap in project delivery. It’s about creating greater creative depth. We already have exceptional designers and strong creative leadership. What we’re looking for is someone who can elevate the work around them: coaching people, strengthening creative thinking, creating consistency across projects and helping us build a studio where great work happens more often, not just occasionally.

Ultimately, we’re looking for someone who makes everyone around them better.

What does the Design Director actually own day to day and at what level of creative authority does this person operate?

The Design Director owns both projects and studio capability.

On projects, they’ll lead some of our most exciting and strategically important work, setting the creative direction from concept through to delivery and ensuring the original idea survives the journey.

Alongside that, they’ll own a broader piece of the Creative Studio. That might be developing people, improving creative standards, championing AI or helping shape how the studio operates. We describe it as having a “double major”: leading exceptional work while also driving meaningful change beyond individual projects.

Where does the Design Director sit in the creative hierarchy and what does the relationship with the Associate Creative Director look like in practice?

The Design Director sits between the Associate Design Directors and the Associate Creative Director. You’ll also work with me at times. The way I like to work with a Design Director is built on trust. Once we’ve established that, I want you to feel genuinely empowered to own your projects and lead your teams. My involvement is intentionally light touch; the Associate Creative Director tends to be much more involved day to day.

The role isn’t there to replace the ADDs; it’s there to help them succeed. We see it as a partnership in which the Design Director develops capability, creates consistency, and provides another layer of creative leadership, allowing the Creative Director to spend more time shaping the studio’s future.

Who will report into the Design Director and what level of leadership is expected?

The Design Director will manage our Lead and Senior Designers and play an active role in developing the wider creative studio.

We’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys helping people grow. Leadership here isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about coaching, giving thoughtful feedback, creating clarity and helping talented people do the best work of their careers.

How much of the role is hands-on design work versus leading and directing others?

It’s roughly a 50:50 split.

We absolutely want someone who enjoys getting into the work. This isn’t a role where you’ll spend all day in meetings.

Equally, success isn’t measured by how many projects you personally touch. It’s measured by the quality of the work happening across the studio, the growth of the people around you and the standards you’re helping establish.

For someone who already enjoys the flexibility and autonomy of freelancing, what makes this Design Director role compelling enough to make the move back into a permanent position?

Freelancing offers brilliant variety, but permanent roles offer the opportunity to build something. Here, you won’t just influence one project before moving on. You’ll help shape a studio, develop a team, influence how we work and leave a lasting creative legacy.

You’ll also get access to a huge range of projects, clients and disciplines without needing to constantly chase the next opportunity. It’s the chance to make a deeper impact than project-by-project work allows.

We also invest in keeping your creative practice alive outside of client work, with 0.5 paid days off per month to get inspired, plus international research budgets and trips.

Beyond the creative work itself, we take staff wellbeing seriously. We give every team member access to Spill, a mental health support platform that offers next-day video therapy with qualified counsellors, available through Slack, Microsoft Teams, or a web app.

How would you describe the creative culture at StudioXAG and what does it feel like to work there day to day?

We’re ambitious, collaborative and genuinely care about making great work together.

There’s a lot of energy in the studio, lots of creative debate and plenty of support. We hold each other to high standards, but we also recognise that creativity takes courage, experimentation and trust.

We want people to challenge ideas, push thinking and continually improve, whilst knowing they’re supported by the people around them.

What kind of creative people thrive at StudioXAG and what kind do not?

The people who thrive here are curious, generous and ambitious.

They love solving problems, enjoy collaborating and care as much about helping others succeed as they do about their own work. They’re comfortable giving and receiving feedback, embrace change and genuinely want to keep learning.

People who need lots of hierarchy, protect their ideas or see creativity as an individual pursuit tend to find the environment harder.

How do you see StudioXAG evolving over the next two to three years, and how does this Design Director role sit within that vision?

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built, but we feel we’re only just getting started. Our ambition is to continue creating evocative brand worlds that people genuinely remember; expanding further into experiential, immersive environments and broader luxury sectors while continuing to raise the creative bar.

The Design Director plays a central role in that journey. They’ll help define the standards, grow the team and shape how the Creative Studio evolves alongside the business.

What does success look like for this person in their first six months?

By six months, we’d expect them to have earned the trust of the team, established themselves as a creative leader and already be having a visible impact beyond their own projects.

That means stronger creative conversations, clearer standards, people developing with confidence and a genuine sense that the studio has been elevated by their presence. Success isn’t simply delivering great work; it’s helping more great work happen across the business.

If you were speaking directly to someone unsure whether to explore this opportunity, what would you say to them?

If you’re wondering whether this is the right opportunity, I’d ask yourself what kind of environment you want to work in.

No two days are the same. We care deeply about the work we create, but we also care about each other and about building a culture where people can do their best work. We come from all kinds of creative backgrounds, and we challenge each other, support each other and genuinely enjoy creating great work together. That mix of perspectives makes it an inspiring place to be.

Your ideas will be challenged, but the good ones will be championed. We care much more about finding the best answer than whose idea it was.

We’re ambitious. Every project is an opportunity to raise the bar, to learn something new and to create work that’s better than the last.

If that sounds like the environment you want, I think you’ll enjoy it here — and our ambition is for StudioXAG to be the best place you’ve ever worked.

We hope our interview with Gemma has provided a clearer picture of the role, the studio and the people behind it.

Understanding how a team thinks, collaborates and defines success is just as important as understanding the responsibilities of the role itself, and that’s why we wanted to share this conversation.

If you can see yourself contributing to the next chapter of Studio XAG and helping shape the future of its Creative Studio, please submit a PDF of your portfolio here