The Cara Santana Collection - DTC

TBD

Originally developed as the second season of Cara’s partnership with Kohl’s, the collection had already been produced when COVID disrupted the planned retail launch.

Rather than walk away from the collection, Cara and Reunited Clothing pivoted to an independent direct-to-consumer launch. I helped bring that pivot to life across campaign planning, creative production, social strategy, content creation, creator gifting, and cause-partnership development—while independently building and operating the collection’s Instagram presence.

Role: DTC Launch Strategy • Social Channel Ownership • Creative Production • Creator Gifting • Cause Partnership

Responsibilities:

• Supported campaign development and positioning

• Helped shape casting recommendations and talent selection

• Coordinated shoot logistics and communication across talent, creative, and production

• Managed on-set schedules and a high-volume shot list

• Captured behind-the-scenes and social content

• Supported Cara’s styling and strategic social rollout surrounding the collection

FROM RETAIL PARTNERSHIP TO DTC LAUNCH

The collection had been designed and produced for a second season with Kohl’s when COVID forced the retailer to step away. With inventory already made, the team made the decision to launch the collection independently and sell it directly to consumers.

The pivot meant we were no longer simply supporting a national retailer’s launch. We needed to quickly establish the collection as its own consumer-facing brand, build its owned audience, develop a complete social presence, and create enough original content to support the collection beyond a traditional retail campaign.

BUILDING + OPERATING THE BRAND’S SOCIAL PRESENCE

I independently built and operated @TheCaraSantanaCollection, taking ownership of the feed, content strategy, day-to-day channel management, and everything required to keep the brand visually cohesive and active.

I planned the content mix and social rollout, selected and organized assets, wrote and published content, and coordinated the collection’s messaging with Cara’s personal social channels so the two accounts supported one another.

The feed combined formal campaign imagery with original product, lifestyle, creator, behind-the-scenes, and social-first content—giving the collection a much broader visual identity than the primary campaign alone could provide.

CREATING WITH WHAT WE HAD

Launching during COVID required an especially resourceful approach to content production. I photographed and styled original in-feed content featuring Cara, friends, hired models, and myself—often creating smaller, guerrilla-style shoots that allowed us to continually introduce new ways to wear and experience the collection.

My role moved fluidly between developing the concept, selecting the pieces, styling, photographing, directing, and stepping in front of the camera when the content called for it.

CAMPAIGN + ASSET PRODUCTION

Alongside the day-to-day social content, I supported creative development, campaign planning, production logistics, and asset strategy across two campaign moments.

I coordinated shoot needs and talent communications, supported creative selects and on-set execution, and helped translate the final campaign imagery into an ongoing social rollout.

The initial campaign centered Cara, while a second, smaller campaign featuring Cara, Nichelle Hines, and Kelsey Kinsel expanded the visual story and reinforced the collection’s “For everyBODY” positioning.

CREATOR GIFTING + RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

I developed the collection’s influencer gifting strategy, researched potential recipients, built and managed creator lists, and handled outreach and ongoing communications.

The program was designed to place the collection with creators across fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment while generating authentic awareness and organic social content beyond the brand’s owned channels.

LAUNCHING WITH PURPOSE

The DTC launch coincided with the early months of COVID and a period of widespread social and racial reckoning. We felt that a traditional fashion launch focused solely on selling clothing would be disconnected from what people were experiencing.

I researched potential nonprofit partners and helped identify Step Up as the right organization to align with the collection’s focus on women’s empowerment. A portion of the collection’s proceeds supported the organization, and Cara later participated in a panel with Step Up.

We also launched #PayItFashionForward, a social initiative encouraging people to go through their closets and donate professional clothing they no longer needed to a local organization supporting women preparing to enter or reenter the workforce.

I helped translate the giveback strategy across the launch messaging, social content, creator communications, and day-to-day channel execution.

RESULTS

• Successfully pivoted a planned national retail collection into an independent DTC launch

• Built and operated a complete owned-social presence for the new brand

• Sustained the collection through original, campaign, lifestyle, and creator content

• Generated organic awareness through creator gifting and earned social content

• Integrated a charitable partnership and community-driven activation into the launch

• Extended the collection across two campaign moments

• Earned coverage from Forbes, WWD, Page Six, and additional fashion press