Meet Céline Atoui | Graphic Designer & Fashion Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Céline Atoui and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Céline, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am French-Lebanese, grew up in France and then moved back and forth between the 2 countries. I also lived in Morocco 3 years. I travelled a lot with my family and for work purposes so I am very much influenced by the different cultures I encountered. I am also trilingual which completely changes your perspective on this world. I am a graphic designer but quickly turned to fashion, graduated with a Masters degree in Fashion & Luxury brand management in Grenoble, France. I moved to the US and to Houston 4 years ago, noticed that fashion and style are not a present subject or something you see/feel in the everyday life. But I felt there is a potential that is growing slowly and thought I want to be a part of it so I created the IG page @styleinhouston in 2019 while still working at Saks. It started just as a visual diary but now I am trying to use it as a platform to showcase my styling on Houstonian women.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
So like I said, initially I obtained my BS in Graphic Design and worked in an agency and as a freelancer for a while, but quickly I felt the urge to create something in the fashion scene so in 2010 I created a project called Celeste. Celeste was a RTW women’s wear label mainly made out of deadstock and vintage fabrics, also incorporating vintage inspired accessories and jewelry. I wanted to encourage local production in Lebanon by working with local taylors and sourcing local fabrics. It went great, I was able to sell my collections in 5 different cities in a year. In 2012 I decided to put it on hold and pursue my master degree in Fashion & Luxury Management to perfect my knowledge for the business side of things. I was then able to work in retail for a while, teach several fashion and graphic classes in Universities and pursue my entrepreneurial journey. In 2017 my husband and I moved to the US and I kind of had to go back to square zero. I didn’t know much people, wasn’t familiar with the work culture but in 2018 I started working at Saks and then Chanel for a bit and now I’m a part-time Fashion Consultant at Intermix River Oaks. I can also focus on my styling page and business 🙂 I want Houstonians to know that I aim to style them according to their body shape, their style identity, their work environment but also while keeping in mind my contemporary, cool and edgy flair. I want them to understand that wearing luxury brands is not the answer to being elegant and that taking risks in fashion is fun and makes them who they are 🙂

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Houston has a few hidden gems, I am still « discovering » this city and Texas in general so I will give you the places I had a crush on. First I’d take her to visit the Museum of Fine Arts and it’s surroundings. I also like the Contemporary Arts Museum on Montrose blvd. We would then eat lunch at Vibrant, on Fairview, good food and dreamy-like decor. We would then bike or jog on the memorial trail. For dinner, I really like this place called 93 Til in Montrose, very nice music and amazing food. The next day we would check the milk & honey spa, shop in River Oaks District, walk around the centennial gardens, dine at Bludorn, delicious food. Last days we would brunch at Café Poètes, hit the discovery green park, it has also lovely activities and beautiful art all around. Maybe watch a play or show at the Miller outdoor theater in Hermann park in the evening. Voilà! 🙂

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to every individual I met in my professional path here in the US, be it at Saks, at Chanel or at Intermix. People are so positive and full of encouragement, it just creates such a nice work environment. It’s such a breath of fresh air, people are always pushing you to give your best and praise your success. Something I love about Americans 🙂

Website: celineprojects.com

Instagram: styleinhouston

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celineatoui2020

Image Credits
All photos by Styleinhouston