Art Director – Experiential & Live Activations / Zalando Fashion Studios (all genders)

Role We're looking for an Art Director to bring brand worlds to life through unforgettable physical experiences. You'll bring bold ideas to life from concept to live activation, bridging physical spaces with integrated campaigns and contemporary culture across fashion, beauty, and sport. Responsibilities - Develop and execute experiential concepts, visual identities, and guest journeys for live events and campaign extensions. - Translate brand storytelling and campaign mechanics into 3D ideas that drive engagement and earned media. - Connect with contemporary culture and creative communities, identifying relevant tastemakers and talent for activations. - Create bold ideas, moodboards, spatial treatments, and pitch decks that merge client goals with progressive aesthetics. - Brief and collaborate with 3D visualizers, scenographers, and prop stylists to translate 2D concepts into tangible 3D spaces. - Lead on-site creative direction for intimate to mid-scale events, and support senior leads on major activations during setup and live days. - Present creative ideas and spatial narratives clearly to clients and internal teams, articulating choices and taking in feedback. - Collaborate closely with experiential producers, set designers, AV teams, and strategists from brief to live activation. Qualifications - 4+ years of experiential Art Direction experience, ideally in a creative agency or studio. - Strong portfolio of executed physical spaces across fashion, beauty, or sport, demonstrating solid spatial craft. - Understanding of how live activations connect with multi-platform campaigns, translating brand stories into physical journeys. - Sharp instinct for culture and creative communities, with genuine curiosity for emerging talent. - Understanding of spatial flow, materials, and lighting, with an eye for designing content-ready moments. - Hands-on experience working with set designers and builders, staying calm and solution-oriented on-site. - Confident communication, articulating spatial concepts clearly to teams and clients. - Organized, resilient under event deadlines, and proactive in solving production challenges on the fly. - Fluent in English. What We Offer Zalando provides a range of benefits, including: employee shares program; 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners; 2 paid volunteering days a year; hybrid working model with up to 60% remote per week; work from abroad for up to 30 working days a year; 27 days of vacation a year to start for full-time employees; relocation assistance available (subject to prior agreement); family services, including counseling and support; health and wellbeing options (including Wellhub, formerly Gympass); mental health support and coaching available; development through a training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review.