Céline Semaan Vernon
Céline Semaan-Vernon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Céline Semaan 1982 (age 41–42) Beirut, Lebanon |
| Nationality | Canadian, Lebanese |
| Occupation(s) | Fashion designer and writer |
| Known for | Fashion activism MIT Media Lab Director’s Fellow United Nations |
| Website | https://celinecelines.com/ |
Céline Semaan-Vernon is a Lebanese-Canadian designer, writer, and activist. She is the founder of Slow Factory Foundation, a 501c3 public service organization.[1] She is on the Council of Progressive International,[2] became a Director's Fellow of MIT Media Lab in 2016,[3] and served on the Board of Directors of AIGA NY, a nonprofit design organization.[4]
Career
Semaan began her career as a designer and community organizer; she worked as a user-experience designer for HUGE Inc., General Assembly, and Condé Nast.[3] Semaan works in the open knowledge and access to information movement, working with Creative Commons to bring the open licensing to Montreal, Lebanon and Qatar. Founding Slow Factory in 2012 while living in Montreal quickly brought her to New York in 2013 to continue to expand the intersection of environmental sustainability, social good, and fashion.
As an artist and designer her work has been featured in the Museum of Modern Art[citation needed] and Cooper Hewitt[5] in New York, the de Young Museum in San Francisco.[citation needed]
Semaan is a recognized expert in the space of environmental and social justice.[6] She coined the term fashion activism, and has also worked extensively to raise awareness of other issues and causes around social and environmental justice by broadening her platform, such as bringing the word ”decolonize” to the pages of popular fashion magazines[7]
She is known for her activism in social justice causes especially around refugees,[8] cultural appropriation,[9][10] and Arab identity,[11] her advocacy for sustainable practices in fashion,[12] and her work as a digital and product designer.
References
- ^ Farra, Emily (23 April 2020). ""Fashion Creates Culture, and Culture Creates Action": Céline Semaan on the Industry's Role in Times of Crisis". Vogue. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ "Progressive International Council".
- ^ a b "Celine Semaan: MIT Media Lab".
- ^ "Beyond Vivienne Westwood: When Designers Become Activists". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ "Contemporary Muslim Fashions Virtual tour". 24 April 2020.
- ^ ""Fashion Creates Culture, and Culture Creates Action": Céline Semaan on the Industry's Role in Times of Crisis". 23 April 2020.
- ^ "Mona Haydar Wants to Decolonize Your Brain". 25 October 2018.
- ^ "See How These 8 Refugees are Following Their Passion for Beauty". Teen Vogue. 26 January 2017. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ Semaan, Celine (2018-03-09). "A Fashion Designer and an Activist Talk Cultural Appropriation". The Cut. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ Semaan, Celine (Spring 2019). "Fashion Revolution Fanzine 04". Fashion Revolution Fanzine. 04: 10–14.
- ^ Semaan, Celine (2018-03-06). "We Need More Positive Images of Arab Women". The Cut. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
- ^ "The New Plastics Economy May Be A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing". MOCHNI. 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
