Her Story
About Leena
Leena Gurevich-Nuñez is an accomplished fashion and luxury retail executive with more than 30 years of experience building brands, developing high-performing teams, and driving strategic growth across the global luxury landscape. Her career has been defined by leadership roles with some of the world’s most iconic fashion houses, where she gained deep expertise in brand positioning, retail excellence, client experience, merchandising, and business transformation.
Leena began her career with Gianni Versace, where she developed her foundation in luxury retail operations before joining Barneys New York during the launch of its legendary Madison Avenue flagship. As Men’s Designer Sportswear Manager, she played an integral role in shaping the client experience and establishing the standards of one of the industry’s most influential luxury destinations.
She later joined Gucci Group, where she spent nearly seven years advancing through key leadership roles across accessories and women’s ready-to-wear before managing the Yves Saint Laurent Madison Avenue boutique during a defining period of transformation within the luxury sector. During this time, she worked alongside some of fashion’s most visionary leaders, including Tom Ford, further shaping her expertise in brand storytelling, innovation, and the power of creating meaningful consumer connections.
Leena continued her executive retail journey as Store Director for Fendi, part of LVMH, leading business strategy, team development, and luxury client engagement. She later transitioned from brand leadership to industry-wide impact as Vice President of the Accessories Council, where for more than six years she advised, mentored, and supported hundreds of emerging and established brands. Through strategic partnerships, marketing initiatives, merchandising direction, and business development opportunities, she helped companies strengthen their positioning and achieve sustainable growth.
Today, as Founder of NGL Consulting, Leena brings decades of luxury expertise to brands across industries, providing strategic guidance in branding, marketing, partnerships, merchandising, and business development. With a highly personalized approach, she works closely with select clients to identify opportunities, create actionable strategies, and bridge the gap between vision and execution.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Leena is driven by authenticity, creativity, and a passion for helping others succeed. She values family, meaningful connections, and giving back, and enjoys cooking, entertaining, and spending time with her husband and their four dogs. Guided by integrity, purpose, and a commitment to mentorship, Leena continues to empower the next generation of brands, entrepreneurs, and leaders to grow with confidence and intention.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Leena
01What do you attribute your success to?
One of the greatest influences on my success has been the mentors and leaders who have guided me throughout my career. Early on, I was fortunate to have someone who believed in me, challenged me, and helped shape the leader I am today an experience I will always be incredibly grateful for.
Throughout my journey, I have been inspired by strong leaders who not only achieved success but made it a priority to support, mentor, and create opportunities for others. Being surrounded by leaders who genuinely want to see others grow has had a profound impact on both my career and my leadership philosophy.
Those experiences taught me that true success is not only measured by personal achievements, but by the ability to empower others, share knowledge, and help the next generation of leaders find their own path.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One piece of advice that has always stayed with me is to never become too comfortable, no matter what level of success you achieve. This is especially important at the executive level, where it can be easy to forget the journey it took to get there and the people who helped shape you along the way.
I have always believed that true leadership comes from remembering where you started and creating opportunities for others to grow. Whether it is supporting a sales associate, mentoring a manager, or guiding someone further along in their career, investing in people has always been one of my greatest priorities.
Success is not just about reaching a certain position, it is about continuing to do the work, staying humble, inspiring others, and helping the next generation of leaders climb their own ladder.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice would be simple: never give up, but also understand that building a meaningful career takes time. Find a role where you can truly grow, learn everything you can, and challenge yourself to reach your full potential before moving on to the next opportunity.
I admire the ambition and drive of the younger generation, their hunger to succeed is incredible. However, I also believe patience is an important part of growth. Moving too quickly from one opportunity to the next can sometimes prevent you from building the depth of experience, confidence, and expertise needed to truly advance.
A successful career is not just about climbing quickly; it is about building a strong foundation. Be intentional about where you want to go, choose opportunities that align with that vision, invest the time to learn and evolve, and when you have truly outgrown the role, take everything you have gained and move forward to the next challenge.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest changes in the industry has been the evolution of how we connect, collaborate, and build relationships. I spent much of my career in highly dynamic environments with global brands where you were surrounded by your teams, having daily conversations, celebrating wins, problem-solving together, and feeling the energy of the business in real time.
As the workplace has evolved, adjusting to a more remote environment has been a new challenge. While technology has created incredible efficiencies and opportunities, I still believe there is tremendous value in face-to-face interaction, mentorship, and building relationships in person. There is an energy and creativity that happens when people come together that is difficult to fully replicate virtually.
For me, the focus has been finding the right balance embracing the flexibility and innovation of today’s workplace while continuing to prioritize meaningful connections through more in-person meetings and collaboration.
I have been very fortunate throughout my career to work with incredible brands and build long-standing relationships. Challenges will always exist as industries evolve, but staying adaptable, open-minded, and connected is what allows you to continue growing.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The value that has always been most important to me is integrity. Doing what you say you are going to do, showing up with accountability, and following through on your commitments are qualities that define both strong leaders and strong relationships.
I believe success requires focus, consistency, and the discipline to stay aligned with your goals. We all have moments where we are excited by opportunities or ideas and can get pulled in different directions, but staying grounded in your purpose and remaining committed to the path you set for yourself is what creates meaningful progress.
For me, integrity is also about how you treat people along the way, being honest, being dependable, and leading with respect. Your reputation is built not only by what you accomplish, but by how you accomplish it.
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