Capital One Threads Guide
Role:
Art Director | Lead Photographer | Project Lead
Brief:
Capital One tasked me with redesigning the internal Threads Guide to reflect their rebranded focus on inclusivity, belonging, and personality. The guide needed to visually showcase the new uniforms (Threads collection) in a way that felt empowering, clear, and culture-forward—while also reducing operational issues related to uniform returns and compliance audits.
Approach:
I approached this with the goal of merging professionalism and personality. The visual tone was fun, uplifting, and identity-driven, reinforcing that associates could express themselves while still aligning with Capital One’s standards. Inspired by the idea that everyone “paints their own colors,” I developed a vibrant, editorial-style layout while referencing Capital One’s established brand color palette for consistency. My creative direction included:
Styling guidance that reflected a range of personalities and body types.
A photographic style focused on real, confident expression.
Layout ideas that made the PDF both informative and inspirational.
Obstacles & Challenges
Coordinated production across four café and branch locations nationwide, including remote direction for a Miami-based shoot where I guided the on-set photographer virtually.
Directed and coached associates—many of whom had never been in front of a camera—on how to pose and present naturally.
Balanced personality with professionalism, ensuring everyone was represented authentically while maintaining a polished, brand-aligned tone.
Collaborated with a graphic designer to execute the final layout, requiring me to translate my creative vision into design language, despite not having a formal design background.
Results
The guide became a key onboarding and compliance tool, distributed across cafés and branches as a downloadable PDF.
It reduced uniform return rates by 78%, significantly lowering operational costs and improving the associate ordering experience.
It boosted morale and belonging, launching a grassroots movement across Capital One where associates began sharing how they styled their uniforms.
The project was highlighted during company-wide market calls, positioning me as a key creative lead and opening doors for additional visual storytelling projects across the company.
Art Direction Highlights
Defined the full aesthetic—from the photographic style to layout inspiration and tone of voice.
Photographed 75% of the final images, and directed the remaining shoot remotely (Miami, FL).
Styled or assisted in styling all featured associates.
Worked cross-functionally with HR, Legal, Branding, Design, and PMs to ensure alignment and compliance.
Maintained consistency and clarity through weekly syncs, moodboards, pitch decks, and real-time production oversight.
Tools & Software Used
Adobe Creative Suite: Lightroom, Photoshop, InDesign
Google Suite: Docs, Sheets, Slides
Remote Shoot Tech: OpenReel (for remote directing and live feedback)
