Culture Connect was a self-initiated editorial project created to support Vans’ seasonal go-to-market meeting. Responding to a theme centred around self-discovery, I wanted to create something that encouraged teams to connect with the people and culture around them rather than simply presenting seasonal product.

I invited colleagues from across the business, consumers and people from the cultures we represent to share a single image that represented their own journey of self-discovery, and explain the why. The resulting collection became a printed zine, combining a diverse range of personal stories and perspectives into a publication that was distributed during the sales meeting. Rather than providing a single interpretation of the theme, the project created a platform for many different voices to contribute to the conversation.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was seeing how differently people responded to the same question. The submissions reflected a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds, demonstrating how a simple creative prompt could generate meaningful conversations and strengthen the connection between the seasonal narrative and the people behind it.