In the Haven with Ceci Brien: From the Soccer Field to LA
Written & Interviewed By : Hannah Corbett
When Ceci Brien moved to Los Angeles just months after graduating from UCSB, she didn’t have a job lined up, a five-year plan, or even a fully formed strategy. What she did have was a website, a growing list of connections, and a knack for putting outfits together in a way that made people stop and wonder, “Wait—who styled that?”
“My mom always jokes that in preschool, I was the kid who insisted on wearing a tutu or a dress every day,” Ceci laughs. “Was it cute? Probably not. But it was so out there. I wore the craziest stuff to kindergarten.
I always had this need to express myself through clothes.”
Growing up playing soccer, and for most of her childhood, her end goal was to go to the Olympics. But like many people, the pandemic forced her to re-evaluate. “I realized there was no balance, and I felt so burnt out. I didn’t think I could do it much longer,” she says.
After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a communications degree, Ceci moved to LA just two months later. She didn’t have a job lined up, but she started meeting musicians, creatives, and brand reps through mutual friends.
Since then, Ceci has carved out a space for herself as one of LA’s most exciting young stylists. Her approach blends the tomboy practicality of her past as a competitive soccer player with the maximalist flair of someone who used to show up to preschool in full tutu regalia.
Her style is, in her words, “maximalist, out there—but in a good way.”
And whether she’s styling a DJ for a night out or curating an everyday wardrobe for a client on the rise, Ceci brings that same bold energy to everything she does.
That authenticity still drives her work today. Now working with powerhouse celebrity stylists Danielle and Alix (whose clients include Bachelor Nation’s Kelsey Anderson), Ceci realized that freelancing gave her more creative freedom—and more opportunities.
“It wasn’t on the 2025 plan at all,” she laughs. “But I quickly realized I could make more money on my own, and that I loved being in charge of how I worked with people.”
And how she works is intentional. Her styling process starts not with racks of clothes, but with a conversation. “At the end of the day, styling is a customer service job. My goal is to understand how someone wants to be perceived. One of my DJ clients will literally send me a song and say, ‘This is the vibe I want to wear.’ That’s where we start.”
Ceci finds inspiration in everything—from obscure editorial spreads to the effortlessly chic Italian woman who lives next door. “I try to ignore trends as much as I can,” she says.
“The only time I’ll lean into something new is if I see it on the runway or in a shoot that makes me feel something. It has to prove its staying power. Otherwise, it’s just noise. Trends can make you hate your closet.”
Instead, Ceci encourages clients (and anyone refining their own personal style) to block out the noise and focus on what feels good. Her advice? “Put blinders on. Try new things. Jewelry makes the outfit—recently, I’ve been loving oversized silhouettes with hoops and layered necklaces. It’s those final touches that turn clothes into a look.”
Today, Ceci works primarily with women—many in the music industry—and says her dream client is someone like Peggy Gou, a female DJ with a bold presence and a love of house music. She lights up talking about her current clients too, describing them as “so cool” and “people I can’t wait to grow with.”
But she’s not putting too much pressure on herself to figure it all out right away.
“There’s so much I still want to explore,” Ceci says. “Right now, it’s working, so I’m not stressed about locking anything in. Eventually, I’d love to hone in on one area. Build a team. Have a studio. Keep working with smaller brands—especially sustainable ones. Those are always the best people to work with.”
For now, she’s all about growing with the cool, creative clients she already has.
“Not to sound cheesy, but I genuinely love the people I’m working with right now,” Ceci says.
“It’s so exciting to be on this ride with them. And hopefully one day I can say, ‘I’ve been styling them since the beginning.’ That’s the dream.”
By the end of our conversation, it was clear I was speaking with someone destined to style the people on our screens that we all admire — not because it was a long-held dream, but because she’s naturally that good. Styling didn’t just call to her; it landed in her lap like it was always meant to. It reminded me that most of the time, talent speaks louder than any dream board ever could. And sometimes, you just have to let life happen — it has a way of working out exactly as it should.