Marcelo Gutierrez says his approach to beauty is simple: reveal rather than conceal. But that uncomplicated philosophy originates from a much more complex journey, beginning with Gutierrez’s arrival to the United States as a Colombian refugee before becoming one of fashion’s most sought-after makeup artists. 

Only a few years after he was born, Gutierrez’s family immigrated to Miami from Colombia as asylum seekers when their lives were torn apart by corruption and war in his home country. Though his parents created an artistic environment through their work as painters and sculptors, Gutierrez was thrust into responsibility at a young age. 

“I was the first in my family to learn English, which I practiced in places like the doctor’s office, where I helped to translate for my parents,” Gutierrez says. “That responsibility shaped me and gave me resilience, urgency, and a need to adapt quickly, traits that still drive me today. Fashion is an industry that rewards perseverance and obsession. I’ve worked in it for over 11 years, building a consistent and evolving artistic practice without compromising my voice or my vision of what fashion can be: Not just image-making, but storytelling and cultural commentary.” 

Finding Community

At 20, Gutierrez moved to New York by himself, realizing he needed a real-world education more than formal schooling. Without wealth or industry connections, Gutierrez created his own path. He found community with collectives like Hood by Air and Dis (now Torso Solutions) and immersed himself in downtown nightlife. It was through club culture that Gutierrez found his place in the creative world and his artistic vision.

“That multidisciplinary foundation [in my homelife] shaped the way I see and approach beauty: with intention, reference, and narrative,” Gutierrez says. “When you move to New York or any new place alone, you have no choice but to look inward and find what you’re made of.”

His mission has led him to create some of fashion’s memorable moments, including the 2025 collaboration with Madonna and the Tom Ford team for her Met Gala return. The same year, Gutierrez worked with Linda Evangelista for Perfect magazine, painting slit eyebrows on the supermodel in an homage to Latinx fashion history, heritage, and queer culture. Sharing this image with the world was deeply meaningful to Gutierrez, who wanted to show this iconic symbol to a generation who may have never imagined their own feature in fashion. 

“The impact of my work lies in its ability to shift perception for the talent, the model, and the audience,” Gutierrez says. “I approach beauty as a subliminal, subversive language—not one that lectures, but one that gently broadens the definition of who is seen, celebrated, and considered beautiful. I aim to tap into the quiet, subliminal ways beauty can shift perception and question long-held constructs.”

Innovation with Technology: Utilizing Social Media to Grow

One of the first to leverage social media for his craft, Gutierrez would reach out directly to those he admired, including photographer Renell Medrano, who remains a key creative partner today. Gutierrez’s 2024 book Nothing Precious explores his philosophy through photography. The work features images of Gabbriette, Paloma Elsesser, and Joan Smalls, focusing on how makeup can reveal individuality. Starting in November 2025, Gutierrez serves as Global Beauty Editor-at-Large for i-D magazine, where he works closely with the team to develop editorials, cover stories, and brand relationships.

His advice to young immigrants pursuing fashion reflects hard-won wisdom: “If someone says ‘No’ then you’re talking to the wrong person. You have to prove yourself consistently over and over to people you don’t even know and who might not even care for you,” he continues. “You have to put all the value in yourself and not in others.”