Shinola Materials Matter
For Shinola’s Fall/Winter 2022 catalog, Materials Matter, I helped bring to life a story about craftsmanship, intention, and the people behind the products. The campaign celebrated the beauty of process — from the color of a whip stitch to the finish of a screw — and how each detail reflects years of care and consideration.
I art directed and photographed multiple projects within the catalog, including a feature on the Midwest Black Rodeo, a behind-the-scenes look at our Missouri leather factory, and a luxury dog product launch. I traveled to Italy to photograph Shinola bags and highlight the artistry of our makers, and I captured everything from watches and raw materials to Detroit-based artisans like a local hand-painted sign maker featured in our “Mechanic” watch story. Working closely with the print art director, I helped shape a cohesive visual narrative that tied every concept together into one timeless booklet.
Photographer: Madison Racz
Where This Was Featured:
Shinola.com, Email, Web, In-Store, Paid, Social, OLV, Print Catalog
Impact I Made:
Art Direction, Photography, Global Production, Brand Storytelling, Editorial Strategy, On-Set Art Direction, Cross-Team Collaboration, Visual Narrative Development
The Results
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The Results ·
An Untold American Heritage
For Shinola’s Materials Matter catalog, I photographed and art directed a feature on the Midwest Invitational Rodeo—a celebration of Black cowboy culture and craftsmanship in the American heartland. The story honors the riders and makers preserving this often-overlooked heritage, connecting their artistry and resilience to Shinola’s own legacy of American-made design.
Videographer: Ken Whiting
Dispatch From Abroad
For the Materials Matter catalog, I brought Shinola bags along for the ride in Italy and photographed them as they picked up a little character along the way. From sun-washed streets to café corners, I wanted the images to feel lived in and to show that the bags had stories of their own. It was all about capturing how good design only gets better with a few miles on it.

