Celine To

I grew up moving between Shanghai and Los Angeles a countless number of times, due to the nature of my parent’s work. I was always jealous of my friends who spent their entire lives in the same neighborhood, with the same kids since kindergarten, and where everyone knew everybody. Where as, I moved every few years, having to start over and over again. I felt like a nomad, with no roots to call home. As a designer now, home is no longer a singular place to me. Instead, I am grounded in the two urban cultures that make up who I am. From constantly adapting to cultural change and being independent from a young age, those were the opportunities that shaped my identity. I am constantly learning and improving my work without settling, while using my two cultures and their languages as a stepping stone into what my designs represent.