A British-American, Stephen Mikhail spent his life split between both countries. From a young age, he could be found painting and drawing opulent scenes and portraits of historical figures. When he wasn’t playing explorer outdoors, he would always have a pencil or oil pastels in hand.
The suppressive religious atmosphere of his Catholic upbringing forced Stephen’s mind to escape into daydreams, whilst the religious mythology was endlessly intriguing and thought-provoking. Stumbling across the subject matter in books and in film, Stephen developed a fascination with sex and human anatomy around age 7 when he used to sneak books home filled with nude statues and paintings so he could draw them himself in his own interpretation. He can still remember how forbidden it felt.
Stephen’s penchant for art and creativity led to an interest in fashion and he started pursuing internships at the age of 17, with stints at Catherine Malandrino and Diane von Furstenberg in New York before going on to work under Alexander McQueen in London. Subsequently, he made the early decision that he wanted free reign over his own line. He started in womenswear at the age of 19 and garnered success dressing noteworthy names from Paris Hilton to Jane Fonda.
Atelier Cillian was conceptualised as an amalgamation of Stephen’s past experiences and the imagery and ideas that inspired him from the time he was a child. From religion to sexuality, to his British-American background, Stephen pulls endless inspiration from such subjects and they inform his unique take on menswear.
ATELIER CILLIAN can be recognised for its inherent duality between masculine and feminine. From strong tailoring to delicate draping, there is a harmonious paradoxical aspect to the clothing. Whether it’s drawing from womenswear fabrics and techniques as inspiration, or reinterpreting what has been considered quintessentially “masculine” from times of antiquity through the modern era – the clothing becomes unmistakably sartorial menswear with a dark, nontraditional twist.
Despite only debuting in February for the Autumn/Winter 2022 season, ATELIER CILLIAN has garnered a myriad of press pieces, lauding Stephen for his design and business acumen as the next menswear designer to watch and a “true talent” according to Guy Trebay, top fashion critic.
The brand has so far been featured in publications from CR Fashion Book, to WWD, to the New York Times. Stephen has also been designing pieces for the likes of Jon Batiste, Neil Patrick Harris, and Machine Gun Kelly on a custom basis, whilst many other celebrities including John Mulaney, The Jonas Brothers, and Labrinth have worn the collection. Stephen was also commissioned by Vogue to dress multiple editors for the Met Gala, chosen by Anna Wintour herself, an honour typically reserved for the world’s most established designers.