Jess Wells has spent the past two decades reshaping the visual identities of world-renowned contemporary and luxury brands. she brings her signature energy, emotion and dynamic instincts to every brand-building project with authentic results.
From brand positioning to art direction to strategic insight and implementation, Jess’ clarity of vision is compelling. She galvanises stakeholders, taking creatives and the C-suite on a journey with her as she builds brand equity for both creative and commercial SUCCESS.
Morning J. Where are you right now?
Morning! I’m currently in London. Back to my roots. I came back after six years overseas and then the pandemic hit which changed everything. I’d been consulting for several years and then had the opportunity to take a perm in-house role which felt like the right move at the time. But I love travel - I’m not good at feeling stagnant. I love different cultures, different climates, different inspirations - I’m lucky that my career’s allowed me to live in some vibrant international cities, Hong Kong, Zurich and LA. All so incredibly different, I think that’s what’s so interesting about them. People often ask my favourite - I toy between LA and Hong Kong and although there’s something so special about the Hong Kong energy I’d have to say LA. I went there straight from Zurich and really felt the positivity and warmth, literally and emotively! I’d love to do New York one day too.
What do you think is beautiful?
Ohh I really struggle with this. Hmmmm, I see and feel beauty in so many ways and actually I think you can see beauty in everything. But beauty itself is hard to define - it’s a feeling and often unpredictable and it’s not a word I often use. I’ve always said if I see or experience something ‘beautiful’ it makes me go funny, it turns me on, it’s hard to describe - it’s this really visceral, personal response.
I love contrast and contradiction and to create something magical or unexpected or memorable in a moment. Something breathtaking that’s unplanned. If I’m designing, the unpredictable placement of a letterform or image crop or pace of animation could come together and give me that visceral reaction.
If I’m on set something beautiful can unexpectedly emerge sometimes through error. I think being unplanned adds to beauty. Something unexpected. Surprising. I like beautiful things to challenge you. Any brief I’ve had or role I’ve been in, I’ve always thought it’s really important to question it. Challenge everything, push and embrace the exploration stage so the right path forward becomes really clear.
I think real, authentic connection is super important and really beautiful. It literally does change lives. The true connections with other humans you make over the course of your career are really special. When a member of your team that you’ve invested and believed in thrives - that’s beautiful.
Beauty will always come from nature, music, colour, design, the list is endless...
What makes you happy?
Happiness is so connected to success for me. Being authentically me makes me happy. No judgement. Freedom and the prospect of opportunity makes me really happy. Excitement makes me happy. Achievement through creativity makes me happy. I think it’s the drive in me. Work has always been a huge part of my life, of who I am, it’s all inextricably linked. Music, travel, design too of course. The projects I’ve worked on with more authenticity have tended to be the more successful ones. But I think that ties back to feeling free in what I do. I worked with Ugg which really was a massive repositioning of a huge brand and I had such freedom there, which made me happy but also delivered some huge results. Of course you have to gain trust and build relationships when you undertake projects on that scale but once they’re in place I think freedom has to be granted, it’s so important to succeed, and success brings happiness.
What do you need to succeed?
What is success? In its most simplistic form, I think it’s to be truly happy and to make others happy. After a bit of coaching (and of course this moves and moulds with time) pleasure and freedom emerged for me as personal values that bring happiness and therefore success. Pleasure is people, positivity, and time! Time is the golden ticket. From a work perspective... freedom and space to think, to explore, to create, to dream are all the ingredients of success.
I believe there’s a creative solution to everything but to be unique in that solution is an increasingly difficult challenge and that’s something you really do need trust and autonomy to achieve. You need belief and resilience and to have some fun!! Fun is so important or my god things get heavy quickly and you can feel that in teams, and when people have enjoyed something you can feel that too. Being in an environment or an ecosystem where everyone has their needs met makes me ‘go funny’ in the beautiful sense because I think about what can be created then, that’s very exciting.
I think Simon Porte at Jacquemus is doing it really well right now, it’s often simple concepts executed brilliantly and with humour. It’s not easy doing FUN well but being playful and clever with it is a winning formula. On social he shares personal narratives beyond product which makes everything feel more authentic and he kick-started the trend of surreal marketing that’s of course now everywhere. But then everything moves so fast this will be dated next week!
Apple, Nike, Patagonia and Moncler and their Art of Genuis stories also come to mind. If I’m thinking photographers and directors it’s Steven Miesel, Carlin Jacobs, Tyrone Le Bon, Glen Luchford, all from the fashion world but their stories have depth. I have to mention Alexander McQueen too. I adored the darkness in his narratives, I was obsessed with his work and his shows. I love the contradiction and tension. Craig Green too...
Storytelling has to be authentic and interesting, it has to create an emotional connection, we know that. It’s easier and harder to do today than it ever has been. Easier because of social and tech but harder in terms of being different or fresh. How stories are captured and who tells or curates the story will always be key. Being unique is becoming more difficult but that's the exciting challenge.
Concepting and storytelling has always been at the heart of my work. Back in the early Selfridges days socials didn’t exist, well Facebook did but I was never interested, I mean who cares!? Digital and UX wasn’t a priority, it was all about the physical experience (which is coming back now), the windows, creating excitement and drama throughout the store including the roof! We worked on such amazing projects focusing on everything from popular culture and trend-led stories to truly meaningful initiatives - projects that continue and stand strong today.
The repositioning for UGG was all about going back to the brand's roots - it’s a surf boot born on the beaches of California. We selected collectives of inspiring individuals. Authentic Californians, musicians and artists and street cast surfers that embodied the brand values and spirit.
There are always so many stories to be told, it’s just how it’s done, it needs to be meaningful and it needs to be relevant. People feel stories. People remember feelings.
Star sign?
Leo. Obvs.
Night in/out?
If I go out, I’m Out Out, and then it’s got to be In In!
What’s your style signature?
Short answer, I’m a minimal maximalist. Long answer, I would say it’s based around contrasts - playing with scale, oversized, androgynous, structure with a sharp, sporty or sexy twist. I was obsessed with trench coats, oversized earrings and cowboy boots as a teenager. And denim forever. I’m also influenced by the 80s, which is when I grew up.
If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
I’d be a kickass healer. But I’m talking She-Ra vibes flying around on a winged unicorn with superhuman speed, agility and strength where I have healing powers and send out energy blasts!
Tell me one thing that always makes you feel good.
Sunshine. Always.