Meet
JW
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?
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?
For me, success is freedom, creativity and impact. The freedom to explore, space to think differently, and the resilience to push through challenges. I believe there’s a creative solution to everything, but uniqueness takes trust and autonomy. You also need belief, resilience, and fun — because fun is underrated in the workplace. When teams enjoy the process, the energy translates directly into the work.
I think Simon Porte Jacquemus continues to be one of the best at storytelling — his concepts are deceptively simple but brilliantly executed, with wit and personality. Doing “fun” well is hard, but he makes it feel effortless. His use of surreal moments in marketing helped set a cultural wave that so many now try to replicate, and what keeps it fresh is that he weaves in personal narratives that feel authentic, not just promotional.
Palace are also masters of storytelling. Their irony, cultural fluency and self-awareness are unmatched — everything they put out, from drop videos to collabs, is layered with humour and subversion. It makes their world feel alive and unpredictable.
On Running has taken a completely different approach, building a strong, consistent narrative around performance innovation. They’ve expanded that into community and lifestyle storytelling, making the brand feel both cutting-edge and inclusive.
Loewe under JW Anderson is another standout. There’s wit, surrealism and artistry in everything they do — from campaigns to runway shows — that always sparks cultural conversation and sets them apart.
I also look at how new creators are using emerging tech, including AI, to reframe storytelling. The most interesting work now comes when brands or individuals mix human creativity with AI as a co-pilot — using it to experiment with new aesthetics, formats, or levels of personalisation at scale, while still grounding the story in something true and human.
For me, great storytelling has always been about emotion and tension. That’s why I’ve always admired Alexander McQueen for his contradiction and drama, or Craig Green for the poetry in his design narratives. Whether in a Selfridges window, a digital campaign, or an AI-generated experience, the fundamentals remain the same: it has to feel real, spark curiosity, and create a connection that people remember.
Storytelling is easier and harder today than ever. Easier, because platforms, creators, and tools give us infinite ways to tell stories; harder, because it’s so easy to get lost in the noise. That’s the challenge I love — finding the unique angle that makes people feel something.
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?
Minimal-maximalist. I love playing with contrast — scale, silhouette, structure — often with a sharp or sporty twist. Denim forever. Always some influence from the 80s/90s, but reinterpreted with a modern lens.
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.