CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Rusty Beukes is an award-winning, internationally recognised creative director and former journalist with over a decade of experience across the luxury, design, fashion, and cultural sectors. His work spans editorial publishing, OOH, digital, and social, where he is known for crafting culturally attuned storytelling that translates global narratives into regional relevance. He served as Acting Editor-in-Chief of GQ Middle East, launched YUNG magazine in the Middle East and Africa, and directed the adidas Superstar x Ravi campaign, celebrated for its authentic voice and cultural impact.
SELECT WORK
Loewe: Ramadan 2025 Silver Capsule
Creative Direction, Ideation, Casting & Production by Rusty Beukes / Between Us Boys
For Loewe’s Ramadan Silver Capsule, I led the full creative development and visual direction through my studio, Between Us Boys, shaping the narrative, casting the region’s leading voices, and overseeing production end-to-end.
The campaign explored Ramadan through a contemporary cultural lens: a pendulum-like clock marking the shift in pace during the holy month; an intimate, stylised iftar setting; and a cast of Gulf-based creatives whose stories embody modern regional identity. The film and stills balanced ritual, reflection, and evening energy, grounding Loewe’s global aesthetic in a distinctly Middle Eastern rhythm.
My role centred on building that language — from concept to casting to the on-set orchestration — ensuring the campaign honoured heritage while speaking fluently to the region’s new wave of creators.
Adidas Superstar Ravi: The Hyperlocal Hypedrop
Creative Direction by Rusty Beukes at Havas Red
In this landmark collaboration, adidas turned away from traditional celebrity partnerships and instead partnered with a 42-year-old family-run restaurant in Dubai’s Satwa district, Ravi Restaurant. The mission was clear: honour the community fabric of Dubai by elevating a place that has become a cultural anchor for multi-generational, multi-national guests.
For the adidas x Ravi community capsule, I led creative direction, focusing on building a story that felt genuinely rooted in Dubai’s cultural fabric. The work celebrated Ravi not as a brand asset, but as a living community landmark, a place shaped by people, rituals, and everyday moments that define the city.
My role centred on shaping this world and its creative language, ensuring the collaboration honoured Ravi’s heritage while positioning it within a new, youth-driven narrative. The result was a campaign that put community first and made culture the hero.
Cartier: Defying Expectation for GQ Middle East
Creative Direction, Ideation, Casting & Production by Rusty Beukes / Between Us Boys
Cartier and GQ Middle East create a six-part series on Arabs changing the cultural landscape all over the world, from New York City to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The series features creative polymath Abu Hamdan, aspiring artist Rawkan Binbella, Emirati-Egyptian calligrapher Diaa Allam, Saudi model Shahad Salman, award-winning documentary maker and activist Noor Tagouri and activist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin.
