Le Lotus Bleu names Johanna Stickland as its first Chief Creative Photographer to lead its visual transformation.
New York City— This new leadership role unites Stickland’s evocative visual language with the forward-thinking vision of CEO Samantha Santos, transforming how the brand’s heritage and modern sensibility are brought to life visually.
Since its founding, Le Lotus Bleu has had one goal: to make tea more than a drink , to make it an experience. From sourcing rare botanicals to creating immersive retail and digital spaces, every detail echoes the deep roots of tea culture while anticipating the tastes of tomorrow. The collaboration with Johanna Stickland marks a decisive step forward. Known for her intimate portraits and atmospheric use of soft light and shadows, Stickland will now shape the visual narrative of Le Lotus Bleu worldwide. Together with CEO Samantha Santos, she will direct ads, lookbooks, art direction, and immersive brand experiences that bridge centuries of tea tradition with contemporary luxury.
A Visual Renaissance
Stickland brings an unusually holistic skill set to her new role. Born in Canada and now based in New York City, she began her career in front of the camera. At 14, she was modeling for Jil Sander, Chloé, Givenchy, Dries Van Noten, Christian Dior, and Yohji Yamamoto. That early exposure to high fashion, where lighting, texture, and storytelling converge, shaped her artistic instincts for life. By her twenties, Stickland had shifted behind the camera, developing a photographic style marked by soft shadows and cinematic intimacy.
Her work has appeared in EXIT, Numero, Juxtapoz, Ignant, Vision China, and Heavy Metal Magazine. She’s collaborated with Nick Knight, creating paintings of the Milan womenswear collections. Stickland has been profiled in the book Girl on Girl: Art and Photography in the Age of the Female Gaze, curated by Charlotte Jensen, and shown at Huxley Parlour Gallery in London for Photo London, the Thames Art Center in Brooklyn with her solo show PRISM, and at SHOWstudio Gallery in London. Collectors around the world seek out her paintings and prints.
This trajectory gives Stickland a rare fluency. She knows how to construct images that feel effortless yet deliberate, a skill perfectly aligned with Le Lotus Bleu’s ethos of “ancient ritual, modern consumption.” Her ability to bridge tradition and innovation mirrors the way Le Lotus Bleu transforms tea from a static ritual into a contemporary luxury experience.
Ancient Ritual, Modern Experience
Tea is not just a beverage; it is one of humanity’s oldest rituals. Across China, Japan, India, the Middle East, and Europe, tea ceremonies have long served as meditations on time, place, and connection. Yet in today’s world, these rituals risk being reduced to hurried commodities.
Le Lotus Bleu exists to reverse that trend. Its blends, from Japanese Bancha Tea to Blue Lotus infusions, are designed as sensory journeys, paying homage to centuries of craftsmanship. By naming Johanna Stickland Chief Creative Photographer, the brand underscores its commitment to telling this story visually as well as gastronomically.
Stickland’s photography is perfectly suited to this challenge. Her use of natural light recalls the glow of morning tea steam; her compositions evoke the quiet of a Zen garden at dawn or the velvet intimacy of a Parisian salon. “We want every photograph to feel like a pause,” says CEO Samantha Santos. “The world slows for a moment, and that’s the essence of tea.”
Inside the Creative Process
At the heart of this initiative is the creative partnership between Stickland and Le Lotus Bleu founder and CEO Samantha Santos. Santos, who has built the brand from a single idea into a globally recognized luxury house, believes in pairing artistic integrity with entrepreneurial drive.
“Le Lotus Bleu has always been about storytelling,” Santos explains. “It’s about how leaves picked at dawn in the foothills of Japan can end up in a glass in Brooklyn or Germany. Johanna’s eyes and sensitivity allow us to communicate that journey visually, not just showing a product but evoking a feeling.”
Johanna Stickland has already rolled up her sleeves. As Chief Creative Photographer, she and CEO Samantha Santos are shaping Le Lotus Bleu’s next wave of ads and its new lookbook, treating photography not as an afterthought but as the brand’s living heartbeat. Instead of isolated shoots, they’re crafting a cinematic world that mirrors the moods of tea, warm amber light, soft silver tones, intimate interiors, and fresh, airy compositions.
Central to this vision is a signature global journey documenting Le Lotus Bleu’s sourcing story, from tea slopes to partnered locations. Stickland is also creating a portrait series of artisans, tea masters, and customers, forming a living archive of the brand’s community.
This approach signals a cultural pivot. By naming a Chief Creative Photographer, Le Lotus Bleu is embedding artistry at the heart of its brand. “We see Johanna’s role as cultural stewardship,” Santos says. “She’s preserving the soul of tea while introducing it to a new generation.”
A World People Want to Enter
This isn’t a single campaign but a living archive of Le Lotus Bleu’s evolution, unfolding across time, place, and mood. “It’s not just advertising,” Stickland says. “It’s building a world of beauty, calm, and meaning.” Santos adds, “We want our visuals to be as immersive as our blends, leaving an emotional imprint that lingers long after the last sip.”
About Le Lotus Bleu
Le Lotus Bleu is a premium tea and lifestyle brand dedicated to elevating ancient rituals for the modern world. With globally sourced blends, artisan accessories, and a commitment to sustainability and storytelling, Le Lotus Bleu is redefining how tea is experienced in homes, hotels, and high-end hospitality spaces worldwide. Founded by CEO Samantha Santos, the company emphasizes quality, creativity, and community in every cup.
For more information visit www.le-lotus-bleu.com.
About Johanna Stickland
Johanna Stickland is a Canadian-born photographer and painter based in New York City. Her work explores themes of intimacy, transformation, and the female gaze, appearing in publications such as EXIT, Numero, Juxtapoz, Ignant, and Vision China. She has collaborated with Nick Knight and been featured in international exhibitions from London to Brooklyn, most recently a solo show PRISMat Thames Art Center. Stickland’s paintings and photographs are held in private collections around the world.
Explore her work at https://www.johannastickland.com.
