Trey Laird

Trey Laird is the founder, chief executive and chief creative officer of Laird+Partners, a leading creative agency and a specialist in the fashion, beauty and luxury markets. The creative director has been regularly called upon by Tommy Hilfiger , Karl Lagerfeld , Belstaff, Diane von Furstenberg and Rag & Bone to work on their advertising campaigns. Laird has also creatively directed the CFDA Journals for 2012 and 2013. The prestigious role allows him to oversee the photography of the award winners used in the ceremony.

Prior to founding Laird+Partners in 2002, Laird was the executive vice president and corporate creative director of Donna Karan International. Laird began working with Donna Karan whilst working at Peter Arnell’s agency, Arnell-Bickford. He described the role to Opening Ceremony as his first “proper job.” “It was really great to be there from the beginning — everything was coming together at that point.”

Laird’s work for Donna Karan continued the creative themes established whilst he was Arnell Bickford, forging one of the most recognisable brand identities in the world. “Before this, it was all about perfectionism: the perfect model and setting. There was a lot of beauty in Donna Karan and DKNY imagery, but there was also reality. If Donna Karan was the limousine, DKNY was the subway. Donna Karan was caviar and DKNY was pizza.”

Laird also launched a digital fitness brand, Aarmy, in partnership with Akin Akman.

Laird graduated from the University of Texas in Austin; he lives in New York with his family.