Born and brought up in Egypt by her Egyptian father and French mother, Celine Daoud has been naturally influenced by her multicultural background. Her label has already caught the attention of professionals. She was chosen as Egypt’s 2008 new talent and was invited to display her latest collection at the Prêt a Porter (ready to wear) Exhibition in Paris: “Showing my clothes among some of the world’s most well-known brands such as Dior, Moschino, Dolce & Gabana and Etro, was a great success because I had only been in business for three months” says Celine.
She designs both a haute couture, as well as a prêt a porter, collection. Her ready-to-wear line has been praised for its flawless cut, immaculate finishing and superb handmade embroidery. Celine recalls how someone once asked her if she were using the same embroiderers as Christan Lacroix.
She has named her brand Augusta Vabre after her great-grandmother who had an atelier for 60 years in Hyeres, in the south of France. Her style has been described as “trendy & sophisticated”: “I think I have a classy style that is present at the core of each design but is reinterpreted and evolves according to my inspirations from one collection to the next. I design clothes for elegant women who are not afraid of getting attention” explains Celine.
Celine is surrounded by a team of sixteen people including a drapist, pattern cutter, stitcher and embroiderer. Her collections are born from a feeling, an idea and an inspiration. They all start with a sketch then the design is draped on ‘toile’. The ‘toile’ is a light fabric which is used to produce the prototype that will be adjusted over and over again to reach perfect volume, line and proportions in order to interpret as closely as possible the designer’s sketch. The draping is then transformed into a pattern and stitched. Once this pattern is approved, the fabric and colors are chosen and it is only at this stage that the actual garment starts being produced.
Draping, a unique haute couture technique, is used to create a garment. More sophisticated than a pattern, the art of draping is not found in books — it is only taught by one person to another. Draping is a supremely refined method which enables the designer to see the proportions and create straightaway the line and volume. Patterns are used for prêt a porter because it requires a lower level of craftsmanship to produce clothes quickly and at a cheaper price.
“Only six fashion houses worldwide are classified as doing haute couture. Very few people can afford the real haute couture. The new version of haute couture, still mostly hand-crafted but less expensively made and more commercialized, is definitely making a big comeback,” explains Celine.
Celine comes from an artistic background. Her French mother is an accomplished painter and her grandfather Marcel Floris was a prominent artist; his work is displayed in more than 25 museums worldwide.
Celine creates a few limited pieces each season. They can be found at Beymen in Cairo and in selected shops in Greece and on Mykonos.
Women are increasingly weary of high-street look-a-like fashion and the haute couture brands which are too much about celebrities and image. The market is ready for new labels which combine excellent quality and reasonable prices and are not immediately identifiable in order to feed the growing trend towards individualism. Celine offers women a brand that suits their personality. Her clothes, superbly made, give women the opportunity to create a style of their own.
“Each one of my dresses tells a story. The color, line, volume, fabric and embroidery echo a certain fantasy; it is all an attempt to transmit a certain feeling. What I enjoy the most is the thrill of creation, and making women feel confident and beautiful,” concludes Celine.