We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Collette Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Collette below.
Hi Collette, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
I hope to be remembered as a kind, hardworking individual who brought an artful approach to everything she touched. My work in design and photography is rooted in the belief that visuals have the power to evoke emotion and thought.
I frequently struggle with the tension between pursuing a creative career and grappling with the ethics of consumerism, as I mainly work with brands. But at its best, art and design transcend commerce. Particularly in beauty and fashion, I think they can celebrate the rituals and expressions that make us human.
I don’t want to be remembered solely for the brands I’ve worked with or the accomplishments I’ve achieved. Instead, I hope people will think of how I made them feel- regardless of whether that was through my work or through the way I treated others. I think legacy is less about accolades and more about the lasting impact we have on the hearts and minds of the people in our lives.
Collette, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Collette, and I am a 23 year old multi-disciplinary designer based in Los Angeles, specializing in brand and visual design for the beauty and fashion industries. I’m originally from San Francisco and I graduated from the Design/Media Arts program at UCLA back in 2023. I currently work full-time at a beauty brand where I’m responsible for designing emails, web banners, landing pages, print collateral, product packaging, and providing photo art direction. I also offer freelance graphic design services, through which I help clients bring cohesion to their ideas and execute them with taste, nuance, and intention. I consider myself a very adaptable designer- I’m able to seamlessly shift between different media (digital, print, photo, 3d, etc.) and styles, tailoring each project to align with the client’s vision. I believe that staying open and willing to evolve a concept is the best way to produce truly engaging results. This was the case for a recent project that I’m particularly proud of. In the past several months, I’ve had the privilege of developing the brand identity for an emerging fashion label that I’m really excited about. This experience gave me the opportunity to take a lead role in shaping the brand’s creative direction while refining my skills in logo, packaging, and web design. I am especially interested in working on projects that explore femininity with subtley and depth, so my personal sensibilities were a perfect match for this brand.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Honestly, most of my freelance clients have come through friends, coworkers, and classmates. I naturally gravitate toward other creative people, so there’s often a filmmaker, musician, or business owner around me who needs a designer. My advice for someone who is looking for clients is to join communities or clubs that are focused on shared interests- like a ceramics studio, a book club, or a film screening group. I wouldn’t force connections for the sole purpose of finding clients, but I do think that putting yourself in spaces like these is likely to benefit you both personally and professionally.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I enjoy the process of crafting a portfolio, watching how my work has evolved over the years, and noticing the connections between my life experiences and the aesthetics I was drawn to at the time. Art and design are deeply personal- our work reflects our inner thoughts and emotions. To create is a radically human act.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://collettelee.github.io/
- Instagram: cllette
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colletteldesign/
