KOD: From Album Art to Stage, Merch and Video
I collaborated closely with J. Cole and multiple creative teams to interpret the visual direction of his fifth studio album KOD. I designed and developed a custom tour wardrobe inspired by the album cover, reimagining a king’s robe in plush velvet and gold trim, then translated the concept into Cole’s signature silhouettes of oversized tees and sweatpants to protect comfort and performance needs without losing intent. For the album’s premiere video “ATM” I defined the styling brief for the child cast to bring the artwork to life, built their looks, directed styling teams, and sourced pieces from domestic and international vendors. I also commissioned and fitted custom elements for Cole’s king look and its on-stage adaptation.
defining a character identity
I also helped define the visual identity of Cole’s alter ego, Kill Edward, who appeared cloaked in black under a single spotlight ahead of the show opener to perform in autotune, mirroring the tone of the KOD album. Though never confirmed to be Cole, the character added mystery and depth to the live experience, and my creative direction was instrumental in bringing this concept to life.
concept to merch
In addition to stage wardrobe I designed the KOD tour merch, integrating key motifs and phrases from the album such as “Meditate Don’t Medicate” and “Choose Wisely.”
ATM: Character-Led Wardrobe System
I led creative direction over wardrobe and character development for “ATM” with director Scott Lazer to craft character-driven wardrobe narratives for Cole and the full cast. I built the look system from treatment to set, writing the brief, mapping character arcs and color, and translating scenes into camera-ready fits. I managed a six-figure wardrobe budget and staffed multi-stylist teams for a five-day, large-scale shoot. I worked closely with J. Cole and the director on casting, then partnered with production design across multiple sets to align silhouette, palette and texture with story.
I ran fittings, continuity and clearances, sourced domestically and internationally under tight timelines, and kept vendor pipelines on schedule. I owned shot lists for wardrobe coverage, directed on-set delivery and protected product read under changing lighting and movement. The result was a cohesive character language that carried the video’s themes from scene to scene and held up frame by frame.
Click here to watch director Scott Lazer speak to Genius about our collaboration and the making of ATM.
