INSIDE HQ: A Day In The Life with Our Head of Creative

Have you ever met a Head of Creative and desperately wanted to know more about what they do? Well, it’s time to take a peek behind the curtain and meet the person responsible for the beautiful visuals you see across each of our collections.

Our Head of Creative, Michael Higham, is a huge part of the team here at Saint + Sofia. From conceiving the creative vision of a campaign to shooting the imagery across our socials and directing models on e-commerce shoots, he’s helped to build the brand into what it is today. So, what does a typical day in the life really look like for him? The answer: every day is different. But to help give you an insight, he walked us through a 9-5 on our latest campaign shoot (sun not always included).

How long have you been at Saint + Sofia

I’ve been with the company for seven years now. Before that, I worked in Caffè Nero’s Brand department, creating digital content and imagery. I joined (Saint and Sofia) back in 2018 when we were known as Zaggora, exclusively selling technical fitness leggings. Saint and Sofia, as we know it today, took shape in early 2020 when we rebranded and expanded into a full fashion brand. Since then, I’ve seen the company grow significantly; growing our collections, expanding our customer reach, and even launching our first physical store in Covent Garden. It’s been an exciting journey, and I’ve loved being part of the brand’s evolution!

How did you get into photography?

I’ve always had a passion for photography; my dad was really into analogue photography when I was younger, so I think his creative side definitely rubbed off on me. I know it’s a bit cliché, but I was obsessed with America’s Next Top Model. Every episode featured a completely different style of shoot, and I loved to see how different a model could look week-to-week. I went on to study Media Production at university, specialising in photography – naturally, I focused on fashion photography. In my projects, I enjoyed taking familiar themes and ideas, subverting them and exploring unexpected perspectives that might not typically be seen.

What is your favourite part of your role?

I love that no two days are the same at Saint and Sofia. One day, we might be filming Instagram Reels in our new Covent Garden store, and the next, we’re flying to Iceland for a fashion campaign. It’s a lot of work, but we’ve built a team of passionate creatives who love what they do, which makes even the busiest of shoots run smoothly.

Any tips for people looking to get into the career?

Say yes to every opportunity! In the creative industry, word of mouth goes a long way, and some of my favourite jobs early on in my career came from assisting on shoots that weren’t even fashion-related. Getting your foot in the door, networking, and building a strong creative contact list is invaluable.

Can you tell us a bit about the March campaign, what was the inspiration?

March in the UK can be cold and dreary, and by this time of year, everyone is longing for warmer spring days. We wanted to take our customers on a journey to warmer climates, to remind them that Spring is on the way! With our March collection featuring bright, bold colours, we wanted a location with crisp white backdrops to make them really pop. Lanzarote was the perfect choice, and luckily, we were blessed with fantastic weather!

What are the three must-haves in any campaign kit bag?

1. Plenty of fully charged batteries
2. Lots of empty SD memory cards (I have a tendency to overshoot so these fill up fast)
3. Chocolate for a little afternoon treat

What is your favourite thing to experiment with on shoots?

Since most of our campaign shoots are outdoors, the weather is always unpredictable. On a sunny shoot like our March campaign, I enjoyed capturing each look in different lighting conditions; shade, direct sunlight, and even backlit. Such a small change can make a huge difference to the final result!

Want to meet more of the team?

Follow our Senior Designer, Danielle, as she shows you what it takes to create our clothes here at Saint + Sofia.