Christells' distinctive personal style – cool, romantic, sexy – owes much to her background as a dancer as well as her French heritage. Little wonder she’s become fashion influencer of sorts, with over 31k followers on Instagram, and now as likely to be found in front of the camera as behind it.
Christelle grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches with an Australian mother and a French father, who was a chef (“I crawled around under the tables at some of the oldest [restaurant] institutions in Australia when I was little”) and says she’s always been drawn to French culture.
In her 20s, she danced for a ballet company in Paris, where she honed her love of fashion and developed a passion for sourcing vintage clothes.“As a dancer your eye is trained from a young age on appearance, lines and beauty. I was forever in costumes and make-up, and that has shaped my eye and aesthetic today. Fashion is self-expression. It’s personal, it’s emotional, it’s art, as it is beauty.”
After an injury prompted a career change, Christelle moved home to Australia, where she worked for Sydney florist Saskia Havekes at Grandiflora before setting up her own creative consultancy, Fleurette.
Christelle wears vintage dress, Chanel heels, and Chanel coat.
“I love a boxy blazer, a bit masculine, a bit oversized, that’s then really cinched in at the waist. It’s about finding a silhouette that’s practical for my work, where I feel sexy and beautiful and strong, so I can go into these settings running my own business as a young woman.”
As a props stylist, she loves collecting vintage pieces, and estimates that three-quarters of her clothing is vintage. Lace slip dresses, leather pants and diamante jewellery are among her wardrobe staples – and she owns an extensive vintage handbag collection.
In term of modern brands, she loves Toteme, Jacquemus, and Ganni. The ultimate fashion house will always be Chanel, though.
“To me it’s the epitome of fashion and luxury. With my father being
a Frenchman, that was instilled
in me.”
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