Chloe Dao, a Vietnamese born in Pakse, Laos, is living the American dream. Born the sixth child of eight girls in her family, she emigrated to the U.S. with her family in 1979 and settled in Houston, Texas. By the age of ten, Chloe saw her first episode of Style with Elsa Klensch on CNN and knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. She majored in marketing at the University of Houston, but after one year in college she realized her childhood dream of becoming a fashion designer had to be fulfilled. Inspired by her mother, a successful business owner, Chloe began her pursuit of becoming a designer and enrolled in the fashion design program at Houston Community College. After one semester, she took a week vacation to New York City that turned into an eight-year career. In 1992, Chloe enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Technology with a focus on pattern making. Before graduating, Chloe worked with Madame Rossuel, a costume couture shop where she was first exposed to couture details and techniques, the art of window displays and the management of a sole proprietor business.