DION SANTA MARIA
General info
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
New York
New York
I have a passion for creative. A desire to bring an idea to life through imagery, words, design and movement. Every effort is made to capture and inspire the viewer. Fully engrossed in fashion, beauty, e-commerce and social media, I’m always looking to do more. Be bolder with my creative, rally the strengths of the team, challenge the norm and lead by example.
•Recognize and respect the talents of others and work cross functionally with key stakeholders to align on business milestones
•Act with self confidence and authority by clearly presenting campaign initiatives and the steps needed to achieve set goals
•Ability to change directions and generate solutions when faced with obstacles while adhering to timelines and budget constraints
•Recognize and respect the talents of others and work cross functionally with key stakeholders to align on business milestones
•Act with self confidence and authority by clearly presenting campaign initiatives and the steps needed to achieve set goals
•Ability to change directions and generate solutions when faced with obstacles while adhering to timelines and budget constraints
Experience
VP. Global Creative Director
Interparfums Inc
Define and lead the global creative vision for a $2B+ multi-brand luxury portfolio spanning 13 international brands, ensuring cohesive brand voice, premium positioning, and long-term equity growth across all consumer touchpoints.
Lead integrated 360° global campaigns from insight to execution, unifying product storytelling, advertising, TV, OOH, retail environments, digital ecosystems, as well as primary/secondary product designs into cohesive consumer journeys.
Directed creative strategy contributing to a $17M regional growth across priority brands focusing attention and resources for the growth of EMEA and AMER markets.
Partner directly with CEO and CMO as senior creative strategic advisor, shaping brand strategy, global campaign direction, and long-range innovation pipelines aligned to revenue objectives and market expansion.
Serve as creative authority and principal liaison to global licensors and fashion houses, influencing brand evolution while safeguarding heritage, ensuring alignment between commercial objectives and creative integrity.
Mentor, inspire and scale a high-performing global creative team (U.S. and Italy) across design, visual merchandising, production, and brand aesthetic. Build leadership skills, succession pathways, and promote a culture of creative excellence.
Oversee global agency workflow and multimillion-dollar creative budget, optimizing resource allocation, contract negotiations, and performance metrics to maximize creative impact and fiscal accountability.
Led a transformation of the global creative operating model across multiple departments resulting in a 25% reduction in production inefficiencies. Highlighting contractual opportunities with external partners plus utilizing a broad network of industry connections to streamline workflows and ensure high level results.
Lead integrated 360° global campaigns from insight to execution, unifying product storytelling, advertising, TV, OOH, retail environments, digital ecosystems, as well as primary/secondary product designs into cohesive consumer journeys.
Directed creative strategy contributing to a $17M regional growth across priority brands focusing attention and resources for the growth of EMEA and AMER markets.
Partner directly with CEO and CMO as senior creative strategic advisor, shaping brand strategy, global campaign direction, and long-range innovation pipelines aligned to revenue objectives and market expansion.
Serve as creative authority and principal liaison to global licensors and fashion houses, influencing brand evolution while safeguarding heritage, ensuring alignment between commercial objectives and creative integrity.
Mentor, inspire and scale a high-performing global creative team (U.S. and Italy) across design, visual merchandising, production, and brand aesthetic. Build leadership skills, succession pathways, and promote a culture of creative excellence.
Oversee global agency workflow and multimillion-dollar creative budget, optimizing resource allocation, contract negotiations, and performance metrics to maximize creative impact and fiscal accountability.
Led a transformation of the global creative operating model across multiple departments resulting in a 25% reduction in production inefficiencies. Highlighting contractual opportunities with external partners plus utilizing a broad network of industry connections to streamline workflows and ensure high level results.
Sr. Creative Director, Brand & Digital Marketing
New York & Company
Led and inspired a multidisciplinary creative organization (Art Directors, Designers, Copywriters, Managers) to develop fully integrated seasonal campaigns across e-commerce, video, photography, retail, PR, email, paid/owned social, direct mail, and celebrity partnerships — ensuring a cohesive brand voice across all consumer touchpoints.
Defined and elevated brand aesthetic through hands-on photo and video art direction, guiding model, still life, and production teams; spearheaded a denim rebrand that delivered a +35% week-over-week sales increase.
Presented campaign strategy, performance metrics, and creative directions to executive leadership and merchandising partners, aligning brand storytelling with commercial objectives and resolving cross-functional priorities.
Implemented enterprise-level workflow systems and strategic creative briefing processes to align cross-functional stakeholders with business goals, improving efficiency, clarity of deliverables, and speed to market.
Re-architected email creative strategy using performance analytics and testing frameworks, increasing open rates by +40% while strengthening visual consistency and brand storytelling.
Partnered with CRM and PLCC leadership to develop targeted digital and print initiatives driving promotional engagement, loyalty participation, and customer lifetime value.
Oversaw $10M annual creative production budgets spanning photography, video, retouching, 3D retail assets, and packaging; negotiated vendor contracts and bidding processes to reduce quarterly spend by 25% without compromising quality.
Directed end-to-end development of in-store POS, visual merchandising displays, fragrance packaging (primary and secondary), garment trim, and store communications — driving elevated customer experience and measurable sales conversion.
Managed external production partners and creative vendors to ensure best-in-class execution and on-time delivery across digital campaigns, e-commerce assets, print, and direct mail.
Fostered a high-performance creative culture by delivering clear, actionable feedback, mentored talent at various levels, and building succession pathways that promote innovation, accountability, and professional growth.
Defined and elevated brand aesthetic through hands-on photo and video art direction, guiding model, still life, and production teams; spearheaded a denim rebrand that delivered a +35% week-over-week sales increase.
Presented campaign strategy, performance metrics, and creative directions to executive leadership and merchandising partners, aligning brand storytelling with commercial objectives and resolving cross-functional priorities.
Implemented enterprise-level workflow systems and strategic creative briefing processes to align cross-functional stakeholders with business goals, improving efficiency, clarity of deliverables, and speed to market.
Re-architected email creative strategy using performance analytics and testing frameworks, increasing open rates by +40% while strengthening visual consistency and brand storytelling.
Partnered with CRM and PLCC leadership to develop targeted digital and print initiatives driving promotional engagement, loyalty participation, and customer lifetime value.
Oversaw $10M annual creative production budgets spanning photography, video, retouching, 3D retail assets, and packaging; negotiated vendor contracts and bidding processes to reduce quarterly spend by 25% without compromising quality.
Directed end-to-end development of in-store POS, visual merchandising displays, fragrance packaging (primary and secondary), garment trim, and store communications — driving elevated customer experience and measurable sales conversion.
Managed external production partners and creative vendors to ensure best-in-class execution and on-time delivery across digital campaigns, e-commerce assets, print, and direct mail.
Fostered a high-performance creative culture by delivering clear, actionable feedback, mentored talent at various levels, and building succession pathways that promote innovation, accountability, and professional growth.
Senior Art Director / Senior Manager
Avon Products
Art directed large-scale model and still-life productions across Color, Fragrance, Skincare, Haircare, and Personal Care categories, delivering high-volume, multi-asset campaigns supporting global beauty portfolios.
Led regional creative teams in the execution of 170+ annual beauty launches, aligning local market needs with global brand standards through the development of brand books, style guides, and quarterly global summits.
Served on the Global Cosmetics Category Leadership Team, shaping category vision, business strategy, and end-to-end creative development across multiple brands, segments, and international markets.
Partnered closely with global marketing leaders to conceptualize and visually articulate product storytelling, strengthening cross-functional trust while driving measurable time and cost efficiencies.
Conducted cross-functional production reviews to prioritize complex launch calendars, optimize resource allocation, and deliver against aggressive timelines and budget parameters.
Mentored and developed designers and Art Directors, cultivating high-performance teams grounded in collaboration, creative excellence, and long-term career growth.
Led regional creative teams in the execution of 170+ annual beauty launches, aligning local market needs with global brand standards through the development of brand books, style guides, and quarterly global summits.
Served on the Global Cosmetics Category Leadership Team, shaping category vision, business strategy, and end-to-end creative development across multiple brands, segments, and international markets.
Partnered closely with global marketing leaders to conceptualize and visually articulate product storytelling, strengthening cross-functional trust while driving measurable time and cost efficiencies.
Conducted cross-functional production reviews to prioritize complex launch calendars, optimize resource allocation, and deliver against aggressive timelines and budget parameters.
Mentored and developed designers and Art Directors, cultivating high-performance teams grounded in collaboration, creative excellence, and long-term career growth.
Education
Bachelors of Fine Arts
Syracuse University
Advertising Design