Welcome To The Edit
An archive of influence for the modern creative
Every great idea starts with a reference.
Whether it’s a film still, a runway moment, or a forgotten ad campaign, what we collect shapes how we create.
I’m Samantha, art director, creative producer, and, above all, someone who’s always been obsessed with storytelling. For the past decade, I’ve followed that passion wherever it leads. It’s what I do for work, and what I think about even when I’m off the clock. But I’m no expert. I’m still asking questions, chasing references, and figuring it all out as I go.
This Substack is part of my personal, lifelong mission to lean in, dig deeper, better understand what I do, and why it makes me tick.
Welcome to The Maxwell Edit, a cultural digest for the creatively curious. This space is part archive, part editorial lens, and part visual anthropology lab. A place to explore not just what we find beautiful, but why. Why a weathered ad can feel more compelling than a luxury billboard, why we keep coming back to 90s Calvin Klein, why a single campaign image can stay with you for years… Why inspiration matters, and what happens when we actually trace its lineage.
This isn’t about trendspotting. It’s about understanding where our inspiration comes from, so that what we create can carry more weight, more resonance, more originality.
I believe taste is learned, and that the best creatives aren’t just collecting images, they’re studying them, questioning them, and honoring the source.
Here’s what you can expect from The Maxwell Edit:
Essays on visual culture, past and present
Campaign breakdowns and timeless references
Shot lists and visual inspiration threads
Interviews with modern tastemakers
Behind-the-scenes dispatches from the world of creative direction
This isn’t about being first to the trend. It’s about understanding where it came from and where it’s going.
As for the name, The Maxwell... that’s a story for another time.
Thanks for being here. Let’s dig in.