The Ciel Summit Recap 2023

As a large, physical studio space spanning an entire city block, we’ve inevitably become a creative hub for industry folks here in the Bay Area. We take this with pride, we love holding space for all of you to come and create within our 4 walls. However, as the year draws to a close, a resounding need emerged from industry leaders: a desire to convene and deliberate on the emerging trends in art, design, fashion, and tech. Not a need for another extravagant party or event… we have enough of those this time of year-? but a genuine yearning to slow down and process the whirlwind of industry developments in 2023. In usual Ciel fashion, we decided to cultivate this space ourselves. The strong desire to bring together the most brilliant minds in our field was tangible, and we had the perfect hub for it.

We hosted our first Summit last Thursday in partnership with Pattern , SFDW, Design Bay Area , and Shopify as our sponsor. With only 4 weeks to plan and a packed holiday calendar, our small but mighty team (Cecilia Caparas Apelin, Genevieve Skye Mingming, and Eileen Cullen) moved forward. We instantly knew the topics of our three panels, as they encompassed our three main client demographics within Ciel -?

1. Art and Innovation?
2. Design and Tech
3. Fashion and Sustainability?

Curating the panelists proved surprisingly effortless given our friends and colleagues in the industry. Virtually everyone we approached was eager to participate, echoing their own sense of urgency for these vital conversations. Opting for an intimate setting, we capped the summit to 100 guests, a departure from our larger-scale events with guest lists ranging from 500 to 1,000 attendees. Our goal was to curate our guest list, centering industry trailblazers, and fostering meaningful, intimate dialogues to strategize for the landscape of 2024. With confirmed panelists, moderators, and food/drink vendors, we eagerly opened our doors.

The evening itself exceeded all expectations. In the span of four hours and three engaging discussions, we challenged conventional thinking and explored groundbreaking ideas, all while having authentic connections in a safe space. We delved into complex subjects such as the impact of AI on creatives, the environmental ramifications of fast fashion, and the future of art in a Web3 world.

We had delicious drinks and bites in between discussions. It’s always important for us to center local, BIPOC, woman-owned, and LGBTQ businesses whenever possible. We are so appreciative of sponsorships from MELA Vino, Teneral Cellars , Cellarmaker Brewing Company , On the Rocks, Cali Alley , California Rose Catering , and Third Culture.?

Our moderators – Suzanne Gibbs Howard , Shoshana Berger , and Katie Hintz-Zambrano – were particularly noteworthy. They skillfully made our questions their own, showcasing the artistry and finesse required to shape thoughtful conversations that stayed true to the topic while allowing room for spontaneity and improvisation. Thank you to Debra Nipp , Sonya Yu , and Alexis Laurent for being in our Art and Innovation Panel, Maya Mikhailov , Sriram Thodla , and Dan Perkel for being in our Design and Tech Panel, and SUN LEE , Taylor Hansen , and Kelly McSweeney for being in our Fashion and Sustainability Panel.

We even ended the night with a sound bath, intuitive readings, and some plant medicine (*whisper voice*)? to bring us out of our minds, and back into our hearts and bodies (Rome Diggs, DJ Bitesize, Brandi Moore , Courtney Ronca, Pia Barton , Permanent Holiday , Modus, and Fiacre, Inc.) We felt so lucky to hold this space for creative Bay Area thought leaders.?

Take a look at our Flipbook for a Deeper Dive into how we put together the Ciel Summit!

Now, we turn the spotlight to YOU – what fuels your inspiration??

In an increasingly remote world, how can we unite with other thought leaders to foster meaningful conversations? How do we ground ourselves as thought leaders in a rapidly changing world??

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