The art director directs the graphic and artistic design of a project. He must convince the customer by proposing unique visual ideas and concepts for the creation of advertising campaigns. He then manages his teams (graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, layout artists, etc.) to achieve his objectives. This key player in the marketing and advertising sector covers a wide range of fields: advertising, press, audiovisual, publishing, luxury goods, fashion, etc.

In the fashion industry, this professional is a brand's ambassador. Also known as a style director, their role is to transcribe the stylistic and creative images of a ready-to-wear or couture brand.

If, after your A-levels, your ambition is to join a luxury goods company or a communications group dedicated to luxury and fashion, discover our job description for becoming an art director.

The art director orchestrates the staging of a product based on a brief expressing the customer's communication strategy and needs, validated beforehand by the creative director.

His role is to design advertising campaigns for brands and work on their visual aspects, taking into account the budget, deadlines and graphic universe.

In the fashion industry, the artistic director designs and defines the direction of new fashion collections and related products. He coordinates activities at the heart of the structures that organize fashion shows and present collections. In terms of communications and marketing, he or she sets the direction.

The day-to-day tasks of an art director vary depending on the company and the business sector.

• Definition and analysis of each customer's visual creation needs.
• Definition of a schedule and budget for each project.
• Design of a creative project with different artistic styles, based on the brand's visual identity.
• Discuss the final design with the customer and argue for visual consistency.
• Supervision of production stages (photo retouching, shooting, filming, preparation of documents for the printer) and communication operations (posters, radio spots, web advertising, press inserts).
• Leading a team: the art director's day-to-day work is rich and varied, as he or she is in contact with all the professions within the communications agency. In press and publishing, art directors work closely with graphic designers, illustrators and roughmen. In the advertising sector, they develop their projects with a copywriter, who oversees the editorial side. To ensure production, he or she may need to contact several people: photographers, illustrators, directors, web-designers...

Competitive intelligence.

This creative profession combines artistic skills, strategic vision and the ability to manage a team. Here are the main qualities of an art director:

• Creative and curious Imagination is the key to success. Intuitive, they have a real sense of aesthetics, a sensitivity for art, graphics, design, typography and words.
• A broad general knowledge Whatever their field, DAs need to have a broad artistic, literary, cinematographic and fashion culture.
• Convincing A strong sense of dialogue is essential to convince customers. A critical eye is also needed to stand back from their own graphic proposals.
• Managerial skills The artistic director supervises a creative team. Organized and communicative, they know how to manage each project with the support of others.
• Rigorous and responsive The DA must be able to manage deadlines and sometimes tight budgets. They achieve their commercial objectives without neglecting the more technical side of the job.

To become an art director, certain skills are essential:

• A solid background in communications and marketing (a skill often sought after by major fashion houses),
• A good grounding in design and graphics,
• A perfect command of DTP tools (Desktop Publishing) and various graphic design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign),
• Good knowledge of emerging design technologies (augmented and virtual reality).

A minimum of experience, whether in an agency, freelance or with an advertiser, is required.

To become an art director straight from school, it's advisable to obtain a Master's degree in Graphic Arts, Applied Arts, Plastic Arts or Design. In fact, a BAC +2 is the minimum to enter this profession. A BAC +5 is very often required.

Here are some recommended training courses:

• Diplôme Supérieur d'Arts Appliqués (DSAA) in graphic design (level BAC +4),
• Diplôme national supérieur d'expression plastique (DNSEP), communication option,
• National art diploma (BAC +3) with design, graphics or event option.

Specialized schools, such as ECV, Penninghen and Atelier de Sèvres, also train for the profession. Private schools also offer training in art, graphics, fashion and luxury goods, such as ISAL PARIS.

The school prepares students for careers in fashion and luxury goods, with courses that keep pace with market demands.

After completing their A-levels, young apprentices can join the school and follow the course that suits them best. Here are two complementary paths to becoming an art director:

• Visit Bachelor in fashion creation and design Fashion Design: This 3-year program offers intensive courses in fashion and luxury product design. Students acquire a genuine culture of fashion and the arts. In 3rd year, they design an end-of-study project combining their acquired skills: the presentation of their own brand collection with a fashion show.

• Visit Master's degree in communications and branding With the growth of digital technology, the art director profession has given rise to new titles such as webdesigner or web art director. Thanks to this 2-year course, students learn to manage web projects, combining their creativity with the development of a communications strategy (social media, press, posters...).

Young graduates start out as assistants, whether in communications (agency or corporate), the press, publishing, advertising or fashion.

Subsequently, they take responsibility for several projects and, thanks to their experience, become junior and then senior DAs.

The average salary of an artistic director is generally higher than that of other positions. creative professions due to extended liability.

In France, a DA can expect a gross monthly salary ranging from €2,200 for a beginner to €8,000 for an experienced professional.