Having contributed to GQ, I’ve observed and shaped conversations at the crossroads of culture, fashion, and identity. Writing for a global tastemaker has sharpened my perspective on how brands evolve—not just by selling products but by creating movements that resonate deeply with their audiences.

Holt Renfrew, with its rich heritage and commitment to “Conscious Luxury,” is poised to do exactly that: redefine what luxury means for a modern Canadian audience.

As Sebastian Picardo, CEO of Holt Renfrew, has emphasized:
“The big opportunity for us… has been to better communicate who we are and what we stand for.”

This role is about meeting Holt Renfrew in the middle of its journey and amplifying its purpose. It’s a chance to ensure every initiative—whether it’s the evolution of the H Project, a cultural collaboration, or a sustainability-focused campaign—goes beyond function to build relationships, ignite positive change, and position the brand as a leader in ethical indulgence.

Here’s how I would approach the role in the critical first six months.

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The First 30 Days: Listening, Learning, and Quick Wins

Goals: Build trust, understand the brand’s core, and deliver early impact.

This initial phase is about understanding Holt Renfrew’s landscape and building trust across teams. As CEO Sebastian Picardo reflected:

“One of the things that I noticed after discussions with different journalists, brand partners, our customers, our teams, our landlords, our shareholders, one of the key take-aways was that Holt Renfrew, at the time, was perceived as a little bit intimidating. And a little elitist.”

This insight underscores the importance of making Holt Renfrew’s ethos more approachable while preserving its aspirational appeal. Early actions would involve working closely with teams to unearth areas where this perception persists and identify quick wins that communicate warmth and inclusivity to both internal and external audiences.

1. Discover the Brand’s “Atomic Core”

• Drawing on insights from writing for GQ, where brands that transcend categories (like Patagonia or Gucci) consistently thrive, I would dive deep into Holt Renfrew’s DNA. What is its unique mental space in customers’ minds?
• Review all key brand initiatives, including H Project, sustainability targets (e.g., 85% waste diversion by 2024), and cultural campaigns like Collective Currents.
• Audit competitor positioning, asking: What unclaimed narrative can Holt Renfrew authentically own?

2. Stakeholder Listening Tour

• Meet with teams across departments to understand their goals, pain points, and ideas. As CEO Sebastian Picardo emphasized: “The big thing here is relationships. Our personal shopping team thrives because they know our consumer.”
• These conversations would help uncover what’s working and where alignment is needed.

3. Identify and Deliver Quick Wins

• Enhance an existing initiative, such as amplifying H Project with a storytelling campaign highlighting the people and processes behind its sustainable products. This would create an immediate impact while showcasing the brand’s purpose.

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Day 31-60: Align and Define

Goals: Create a cohesive framework for “Conscious Luxury” and align teams around it.

To truly align Holt Renfrew’s teams under a cohesive brand narrative, it’s essential to focus on the relationships that drive its success. Picardo’s emphasis on the value of personalized service offers a guidepost for this phase:

“The big thing here is relationships. When we look at personal shopping, that team is so successful because they really know our consumer. They have the time and bandwidth and the tools and the space to be able to provide that relationship. And it goes beyond just shopping for the next season.”

By embedding this relational focus into workshops and aligning teams around the concept of “Conscious Luxury,” the brand can reinforce its commitment to deeper, more meaningful connections with customers.

1. Develop a Brand Playbook

• Inspired by my work at GQ, where storytelling is everything, I would create a playbook that defines “Conscious Luxury” as Holt Renfrew’s north star.
• This framework would guide every decision, from merchandising to customer experience, answering questions like: What does sustainability look like in practice? How does every touchpoint, from the store floor to Instagram, reinforce this narrative?

2. Run Cross-Functional Workshops

• Host workshops to align departments on the brand’s vision. Help each team translate “Conscious Luxury” into tangible actions, whether it’s rethinking how products are presented online or crafting more engaging in-store experiences.

3. Plan a Signature Initiative

• Conceptualize a marquee campaign or event that activates the brand’s positioning.
• Example: A Sustainability Showcase, featuring a curated collection of Canadian designers or Indigenous artisans, paired with immersive in-store and digital storytelling.

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Day 61-90: Execute and Measure

Goals: Launch initiatives and measure their impact to build momentum.

The activation phase is an opportunity to showcase Holt Renfrew’s positioning through signature initiatives that resonate deeply with customers and the broader community. The “Collective Currents” magazine is a prime example of this, as Wes Wolch, SVP of Marketing, noted:

“We are proud to spotlight incredible individuals, from across Canada and the globe who are moving culture forward. This issue is a vehicle for community connection that reflects Holt Renfrew’s mission to empower self-expression and ignite positive change.”

Building on this momentum, the launch of a marquee campaign or event would reinforce Holt Renfrew as a cultural tastemaker while anchoring the narrative of “Conscious Luxury” in a tangible, memorable way.

1. Launch the Signature Initiative

• Execute the planned campaign or event, ensuring every detail aligns with the “Conscious Luxury” framework.
• Leverage digital platforms to extend the story, creating opportunities for customers to engage with the brand beyond the physical store.

2. Measure and Share Wins

• Track engagement metrics, from foot traffic and sales to customer sentiment. Share early wins with internal teams to build excitement and demonstrate progress.

3. Elevate Personal Shopping

• Collaborate with personal shoppers to refine how they articulate the brand’s values during customer interactions. This team, as Picardo highlighted, thrives on relationships and can become key ambassadors for the new narrative.

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Day 91-180: Operationalize and Embed

Goals: Create systems for consistency and ensure continuity beyond the contract.

The final phase ensures that Holt Renfrew’s commitment to conscious luxury becomes part of its operational DNA. Picardo’s declaration of intentionality around sustainability reflects the importance of this step:

“We are not creating this report because we have to, we’re doing it because we want to.”

Embedding sustainability into vendor agreements, creative briefs, and employee training would transform this principle into a lived reality. These systems would ensure that every decision—from product curation to customer interactions—reinforces the brand’s purpose and values.

1. Institutionalize Positioning

• Embed “Conscious Luxury” into operational systems:
• Create sustainability metrics for vendor agreements.
• Build creative briefs that explicitly reference the brand’s narrative.
• Develop training modules to help employees internalize and deliver on the positioning.

2. Prepare for Transition

• Create a comprehensive handover plan to ensure continuity. This would include a 12-month calendar of initiatives, key learnings, and tools like KPI dashboards for tracking future progress.

3. Celebrate Progress and Empower Teams

• Host a final workshop to reflect on what’s been achieved and to reinforce the vision moving forward. The goal is to leave Holt Renfrew better aligned and more confident in its direction.

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Why GQ and Holt Renfrew Align

Writing for GQ gave me firsthand insight into how lifestyle and fashion brands resonate with evolving cultural and consumer expectations. GQ’s most compelling stories are never about products—they’re about the ideas, identities, and cultural movements those products represent. This perspective is invaluable for Holt Renfrew as it works to redefine itself not just as a luxury retailer, but as a leader in “Conscious Luxury.”

As Sebastian Picardo, CEO of Holt Renfrew, has observed:
“We have experiences, and services and events that are catered to a lot of people. I think the big opportunity for us, and one of the key areas of focus in the last few years, has been for us to better communicate who we are and what we stand for.”

The role of the Director of Brand and creative Strategy is to take this opportunity and turn it into action. It’s about ensuring that every initiative—whether it’s a sustainability-driven collection, a cultural collaboration, or an experiential event—goes beyond functionality to create emotional, cultural, and ethical resonance. The goal is to make “Conscious Luxury” not just a message but a system that informs and elevates every facet of the business.

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Key Metrics for Success

• Customer Engagement: Improved sentiment and loyalty tied to sustainability initiatives.
• Sustainability Impact: Progress toward environmental targets like waste diversion and emission reduction.
• Cultural Relevance: Greater media coverage and community engagement through campaigns like Collective Currents.

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Final Thought

In this role, the mission isn’t just to create strategies or execute campaigns—it’s to redefine what luxury means for a modern Canadian audience. Holt Renfrew’s transformation, as Sebastian Picardo notes, is driven by intentionality:

“We are not creating this report because we have to, we’re doing it because we want to.”

This purpose reflects the opportunity to blend Holt Renfrew’s heritage with a bold vision for conscious luxury. Drawing on insights from platforms like GQ, where the focus is on cultural relevance and identity over mere products, the goal would be to shape a brand that is aspirational, approachable, and deeply aligned with its values.

The legacy I’d aim to leave?

A brand and a team that are empowered to lead the narrative of conscious luxury for years to come—building a system where every decision resonates deeply with its customers, communities, and the culture it seeks to inspire.

Enjoyed this? Now read The First 180 Days at Ford.