BIO

Lee Oliveira is a visionary Brand Project Manager, Photographer, and Creative Image Advisor renowned for his ability to blend art direction, trend forecasting, photography, and styling to craft compelling visual narratives. His extensive work has been featured in leading international media outlets, including The New York Times Fashion, Vogue USA, British Vogue, Caderno Ela Globo, Marie Claire Brazil, Grazia Italy, and Men's Style Magazine Australia. His artistic vision has also been highlighted in Vogue.com, WWD, Globo Show, South China Morning Post, Corriere Della Sera, and Chicago Tribune, solidifying his position as a trusted creative force in fashion and luxury branding.

Lee made history as Gucci's first street photographer, revolutionizing the brand's image with authentic, real-life content and pioneering the "see now, buy now" movement on platforms like Weibo and WeChat in China. In 2011, he trend-forecasted Valentino's "sneakers-and-suits" movement, seamlessly blending contemporary style with luxury fashion and providing key visual insights to the design team. For a decade, he served at The New York Times Fashion as a photojournalist for the Thursday Style print section and as the official photographer and social media manager for Fashion Week, significantly enhancing the publication's digital content strategy and brand visibility.

Professional Experience & Brand Collaborations

Lee has collaborated with some of the world's most prestigious brands, bringing a strategic and innovative approach to visual storytelling, trend forecasting, and digital marketing. His expertise spans luxury, lifestyle, sustainability-driven sectors, and global markets.

• Luxury & Fashion: Gucci, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, Armani Exchange, Tod's, Casadei, Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Santoni, Delvaux, Diesel, Iceberg, Levi’s, Matches Fashion, Paul Smith, Alberta Ferretti, Kaminski.
• Lifestyle & Tech: Levi's, Samsung, Luxottica, Lillian Muir, Bentley Motors, Ray-Ban.
• Sustainability & Global Markets: United Nations (ITC-Fashion & Sustainability).

He consults on marketing and communication strategies for fashion, homeware, and lifestyle brands, supporting small to medium-sized textile companies worldwide in showcasing their collections at international trade shows. Lee also works closely with CEOs and marketing teams, coaching them on visual impact strategies to elevate their brand presence and business growth.

United Nations - ITC (Fashion & Sustainability) - Marketing & Visual Communications Advisor

Since 2024, Lee has been advising small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in fashion and textiles across Africa, Madagascar, and Nepal, providing strategic guidance in marketing, branding, and communications. His focus is on preparing these businesses for international trade shows and global market expansion, particularly in the UK and Europe. His key responsibilities include developing marketing and communication strategies for UN-led fashion and sustainability projects, strengthening brand positioning, enhancing global market visibility, and providing creative direction for photoshoots, e-commerce, and visual harmony identity development. He also supports female artisans and entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses through brand narratives, product imagery, and digital commerce solutions. Beyond marketing, Lee provides specialized training in casting, brand representation, photoshoot guidance, on-camera presence, styling, and e-commerce optimization.

Influence in Creative Visual Styling

A key figure in the fashion industry, Lee extends his influence into the creative visual sphere, where he curates and styles important figures. Through his mentorship, Lee has played a pivotal role in shaping the public image and career trajectory of prominent voices in fashion and entrepreneurship. He has guided them in refining their personal style and visual presence, helping them emerge as cultural interpreters and tastemakers. His notable collaborations include:

• Helena Bordon (Brazil)
• Juliana Santos (Brazil)
• Nathália Gomez (Brazil)
• Major Zulu (Australia)

Creative Vision & Expanding Influence

Lee's impact extends beyond photography, shaping high-profile projects and collaborations that push creative boundaries. This includes walking the runway for Dolce & Gabbana's Fall/Winter 2016 Menswear Show as part of an exclusive influencer-led event, conceptualizing and executing Iceberg's First Street Style Magazine Lookbook (FW18), and reshaping Casadei's Fall/Winter 2023 Campaign with a modern, street-inspired visual aesthetic while maintaining luxury appeal. As a trusted partner in digital media and social media management, he collaborated with IMG Digital New York, overseeing content creation for the 'Fashion Week' and 'NYFW' Instagram accounts. His real-life storytelling techniques and on-the-ground content capture have solidified his key role in fashion's digital transformation.