Michael Higham

Behind every Saint and Sofia campaign is a carefully created visual world shaped by storytelling, creativity and an instinctive understanding of modern fashion imagery. From campaign concepts and social content to e-commerce photography and art direction, the visual identity of Saint and Sofia has become one of the defining parts of the brand’s success.

At the centre of that creative process is Michael Higham, Head of Creative at Saint and Sofia.

Since joining the company seven years ago, Michael has played a key role in building the visual language of the brand - overseeing campaign direction, photography, video, casting and creative production across every collection. Working closely with the wider creative and design teams, he helps transform each collection into the campaigns, imagery and films customers see across the brand today.

But what does a typical day actually look like for a Head of Creative at a growing fashion brand? The reality, according to Michael, is that no two days are ever quite the same.

Building the Creative World of Saint and Sofia

“Every day is completely different,” Michael explains. “One day we might be shooting social content in London, and the next we’re travelling overseas for a campaign shoot. That unpredictability is one of the things I love most about the role.”

Since Saint and Sofia launched in 2020, Michael has witnessed the brand evolve from a growing online label into an internationally recognised fashion brand with physical retail, global campaigns and a rapidly expanding creative output.

“When I first joined, the company was in a very different place,” he says. “It’s been incredible watching the collections grow, the customer base expand and the creative side of the brand evolve year after year.”

Alongside overseeing campaign imagery, Michael also directs model shoots, works on social content, develops visual concepts and collaborates closely with the design and marketing teams to ensure every collection feels visually cohesive.

“There’s a huge amount of planning behind every campaign,” he explains. “You’re thinking about location, lighting, casting, styling, colour palettes, storytelling and how all of those things work together to represent the collection.”

How Michael Got Into Fashion Photography

Michael’s creative journey started long before Saint and Sofia. Growing up around photography, creativity became part of everyday life early on.

“My dad was really into analogue photography when I was younger,” he says. “I think that definitely influenced me creatively.”

At the same time, fashion imagery itself became a fascination.

“I was obsessed with America’s Next Top Model growing up,” he laughs. “Every episode featured a completely different visual style or concept, and I loved seeing how transformative fashion photography could be.”

That fascination eventually led Michael to study Media Production at university, where he specialised in photography with a strong focus on fashion imagery and creative direction.

“I was always interested in taking familiar themes and looking at them differently,” he explains. “Fashion photography can become repetitive if you’re not constantly experimenting, so I’ve always enjoyed trying to create images that feel slightly unexpected or emotionally interesting.”

That approach remains central to Saint and Sofia campaigns today, many of which blend fashion storytelling with cinematic locations, contemporary styling and atmospheric imagery.

Life on Campaign Shoota

For Michael, campaign shoots are often the most exciting part of the role.

“There’s definitely a huge energy on shoot days,” he says. “They can be intense, but they’re also incredibly rewarding because you finally see months of planning come together.”

Campaign days often begin early, with styling preparation, location setup and lighting tests before models arrive on set. From there, the day moves quickly between outfit changes, creative adjustments and reacting to constantly changing conditions — especially on location shoots.

“Most of our campaigns are shot outdoors, which means you’re always working with unpredictable weather and natural light,” Michael explains. “That’s part of the challenge but also part of what makes the final imagery feel authentic.”

The March campaign, shot in Lanzarote, became one of Michael’s recent favourite projects.

“March in the UK can feel grey and cold, so we wanted to create a campaign that transported people somewhere warmer and brighter,” he says. “The collection itself featured strong colours, so Lanzarote’s white architecture and volcanic landscapes created the perfect contrast.”

The campaign focused heavily on light and atmosphere.

“I loved experimenting with how different lighting conditions completely changed the mood of the images,” Michael explains. “Even shooting the same look in shade versus direct sunlight creates an entirely different feeling.”

Advice for Aspiring Creatives

Having built a successful career within fashion and photography, Michael is passionate about encouraging younger creatives entering the industry.

“My biggest advice is to say yes to opportunities,” he says. “Creative industries are heavily built around relationships and experience.”

Early in his career, many of Michael’s opportunities came through assisting on shoots outside of fashion entirely.

“You never know where one job or connection might lead,” he explains. “Building relationships and gaining experience across different creative environments is incredibly valuable.”

Networking, assisting and remaining open to learning continue to play a huge role within creative careers.

“Fashion moves fast, and the industry constantly evolves,” Michael says. “Staying curious is probably the most important thing.”

The Essentials Behind Every Shoot

Despite the scale of modern fashion campaigns, Michael insists some essentials remain surprisingly simple.

“My three must-haves on any campaign shoot?” he laughs. “Fully charged batteries, empty SD cards and chocolate.”

The batteries and memory cards are practical necessities, especially given Michael’s tendency to overshoot during campaigns.

“I always take far more images than I probably need,” he says. “But it’s often those unexpected moments between poses that become the strongest images.”

And the chocolate?

“That’s essential for morale halfway through a long shoot day.”

At Saint and Sofia, creativity sits at the heart of everything the brand produces. Through Michael Higham’s creative direction, the collections continue to evolve visually season after season — combining fashion, storytelling and atmosphere into campaigns that feel distinctly cinematic, contemporary and unmistakably Saint and Sofia.