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.