A creative leader - Carlotta Orta’s approach to creating, elevating and transforming iconic luxury brands can be distilled into this - be striking and be meticulously intentional to create a meaningful connection.
RESTORATION HARDWARE | LVMH | ESTEE LAUDER | SAKS FIFTH AVE
This is how she influenced the journey of RH from a mid-size home furnishings company into a multi-billion dollar luxury lifestyle brand. From the beginning, she persuaded the leadership team to reimagine stores as galleries. Catalogs as inspiring magazines. Vendors as artisans. Then, Carlotta led a dream team of 100+ photographers, designers, stylists, retouchers, filmmakers, among others, to bring the vision to life with meticulous intention. Together they transformed catalogs into coffee table worthy publications, built a state of the art set studio, and helped reimagine an entirely new experience.
Carlotta’s sensibility and signature style had been honed for years. While at LVMH she created the first online “Boutiques” for some of the most prestigious brands in the world including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Celine, Givenchy, La Perla, and Fred Joaillier. At Saks Fifth Avenue she led a major redesign of saksfifthavenue.com and then art-directed their prestigious print catalogs. And at Estee Lauder, Carlotta developed specialty projects such as the exclusive Heritage Collection and the Private Collection by Aerin Lauder.
Carlotta keeps herself inspired as a practicing fine artist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was raised sailing in the Caribbean Sea and speaks five languages. Carlotta holds a Cum Laude BFA from SCAD and an MFA from The School of Visual Arts in New York.
Experience
Creative Brand Consulting
June 2019 - Present
RH / Restoration Hardware
Corte Madera, CA
RH - Creative Direction for Sourcebooks
Responsible for integrating all product categories—including upholstery, furniture, lighting, textiles, and décor—into cohesive interior design sensibilities for sourcebook presentations. Direct the manifestation of these concepts through photography, styling, and design, ensuring an elevated brand presentation that inspires and engages customers.
Good Eggs
Oakland, CA
Good Eggs - A high-end online food delivery service offering the highest-quality products sourced from trusted local farms and producers committed to exceptional sustainability standards.
Conceived, designed, and launched a seasonal publication titled The Source, crafted to be one part love letter, one part discovery guide, and one part commerce platform. Each edition pays homage to one single seasonal ingredient, highlighting innovative products, local farms, and talented culinary artisans. It offers related recipes and relevant products, providing an engaging exploration of the Good Eggs platform while enabling readers to shop effortlessly.
RH / Restoration Hardware
Corte Madera, CA
Senior Vice President of Brand Creative
May 2007 - Nov 2013 /
April 2018 - Present
Responsible for the brand expressions of RH. Oversee all websites, catalogs, digital and print marketing, for all categories. Lead an organization of 100+ people which includes the creative, copy, production, and photography teams. Manage the department’s multi-million dollar budget. Intimately supervise creative efforts in concepts, design, photography, styling, motion, layouts, and film re-touching.
Notable accomplishments: Led creative team during major transformative rebranding efforts in 2010. Persuaded senior executives to change the original concept of the brand; developed the vision and completed the full re-architecture of the new RH rebranding. Developed a state of the art in-house set studio as well as introduced the use of 3D technology to simulate luxury homes reducing cost by 60%.
Estée Lauder Inc.
New York, NY
Senior Art Director
Feb 2006 – Jan 2007
Developed specialty projects such as the exclusive Heritage Collection and the Private Collection by Aerin Lauder. In charge of graphic creation and design of global Estée Lauder fragrance brand collateral. Executed special event projects for marketing strategies i\e makeup and skincare division to stimulate sales at prime retail locations.
Saks Fifth Avenue Inc.
New York, NY
Senior Art Director
Digital & Print
Mar 2001 – Aug 2004
Creatively responsible for saksfifthavenue.com; changed entire functional and graphical treatment of the site. Managed the digital creative effort of various teams including designers, publishers, stylist, models, and photographers.
Conceptualized and designed Saks Fifth Avenue print catalogs. Oversaw Bridal initiatives, which included store collateral, advertising and online registry. Supervised and designed all Corporate Gifts catalogs.
LVMH
San Francisco, CA
Europe
Senior Digital Visual Designer
Aug 1999 – Mar 2001
Start Up Team member. Designed, directed and integrated twelve online “Boutiques” for some of the most prestigious brands in the world including, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Celine, Givenchy, La Perla, and Fred Joaillier. Presented creations to all brands senior executives in Europe and US.
Live Picture Inc.
San Francisco, CA
User Interface Studio Director
June 1996 – Aug 1999
Start Up Team member. Designed, produced and managed user interface for eight software applications. Created UI Studio, managed a team of designers, production artist and 3-D multimedia designer. Created prototypes to test usability, functionality, navigation and ease of use. Worked and presented material directly to clients like Warner Brothers, Fuji and Minolta.
Publisis
San Francisco, CA
Mar 1996 – Sept 1996
Web Designer
Designed websites for multiple clients. Contributed to the functional and esthetical construction of first time online companies by expanding brand identities into Internet solutions.
Education
School of Visual Arts
New York, NY
2005 – 2007
Master of Fine Arts
Photography & Related Media
SCAD
Savannah College of Art & Design
Cum Laude 1996
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Graphic Design
Courses
Fall Out From Foster Care Photography Teacher / Bronx NY
Thesis Advisor at Academy of Art / San Francisco
Google SIYL Leadership Program
Nature Meditation
Languages
Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese
Skills & Services
BRANDING
Brand Positioning / Competitive Analysis / Brand Communication / Brand Identity / Logo Design / Brand Architecture & System
PRODUCT
Product Development / Product Naming / Product Positioning / Packaging
ADVERTISING
Fully Integrated Advertising Campaigns / Digital & Print
PHOTOGRAPHY
Visual Branding / Photo Art Direction / Motion & Film Direction / Photo Production / Photo Retouching & Enhancing / Set Design / Interior Design / 3D Space Rendering
DIGITAL
UI & UX Design / Prototyping / Usability Testing / Data Informed Design / E-Commerce / Product Experience / Product Photography / 3D Product Rendering
SOCIAL MEDIA
Marketing / Content Strategy / Digital Campaigns
BOOK DESIGN
Catalog Design / Editorial Design
IN STORE
Experience / Environment / Signage / Event Design