Working in fashion media offers access and insight to a talented collective of original and creative thinkers. This group has inspired The Visionaries, a series made in collaboration with Specsavers that squares our focus on three Australian women whose vision is unmatched.
Christine Lafian just wants you to have fun. The multi-hyphenate creative is the force behind Suku Home, one of Australia’s most distinctive lifestyle brands. First launched as an online bedding store, Suku is now home to a tight but sought-after collection of pyjamas, apparel and bedwear boasting kaleidoscopic colours and striking, hand-drawn prints.
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From the get-go, Christine envisioned Suku as a welcome respite from monotonous mainstream interior trends. Founded in 2013, the brand took shape amid the hyper-minimalist and greige aesthetics of the era. “I felt like there wasn’t much representation of exciting or playful homewares,” she says. “The options were so plain and uninspiring, and I just couldn’t bring myself to dress my home in something so simple.
“I thought, ‘I spend so much of my time at home. So why shouldn’t it feel just as stylish and vibrant as the way I dress myself when I go out?’”
This fashion-forward approach led Christine to launch linen and homewares that sat proudly outside market trends. Her designs were instantly identifiable: bold, joyous and vivid, reminding us that, much like we experiment with our wardrobes, we don’t have to take home decorating too seriously. Her work quickly caught the eye of a select group of loyal followers and it wasn’t long before word caught on. As her fan base expanded, so did Suku’s offering.
With the introduction of an apparel range several years later, Christine flipped the script. Her Wear collection carried the comfort and playfulness of Suku Home to a sea of breezy summer dresses, cotton shirts and colourful bamboo pyjamas designed to be worn outdoors. She’s since dabbled in accessories and swimwear too.
For Christine, craftsmanship is an important piece of the puzzle. Each Suku piece is hand-dyed, hand-painted and hand-sewn by Suku’s talented team. This means print placement varies, making each Suku piece one of a kind. Beyond face value, the brand’s bed linen is crafted using Suku’s own buttery bamboo formula, with a custom weft and weave, chosen for its super soft texture and durability
Given her focus on the home, it’s no surprise Christine takes inspiration from her childhood. Raised in Indonesia, she wanted to bring the colours and patterns of indigenous Indonesian cultures into homes here. She takes cues from traditional pattern work and integrates this with her own creative sketches, before turning to skilled Indonesian craftspeople. “Most of my designs start as a scribble on my iPad before they turn into a fabric drawn by artisans,” Christine explains.
Christine’s time spent returning to her homeland, and travelling beyond it, have been essential to honing her designs. “I think you can find inspiration if you open your eyes and pay attention to things, rather than scrolling through your phone,” she explains. “I try to make sure to take time off to leave [Melbourne] every now and then… Sometimes the answer is just outside your comfort zone.”
As an eclectic combination of colour and comfort, Suku follows the lead of Christine’s personal style. As a glasses-wearer, finding frames that resonate with her unique taste has been essential. Recently, she’s been accessorising with the new collection of Mimco Eyewear exclusive to Specsavers. She’s opting for statement sunglasses and lilac-toned frames that pair neatly with Suku’s current pastel tones.
Armed with new eyewear, Christine has her sights set firmly on the future, with a plan to return to Suku’s roots. She surprised her customers last year by announcing she would be closing the brand’s Dream Baby Flagship Store on Gertrude Street and downsizing to a smaller space.
For Christine, putting Dream Baby to bed was an important decision to realign the brand with its values. “We are returning to our core focus this year, prioritising loungewear and bedwear. Moving from a retail store to a showroom has given us the space to refocus on what truly matters,” she says.
Moving to a smaller showroom on Collingwood’s Wellington Street has given her a moment to pause and reflect. “Managing a larger store was taking so much of our energy, and we realised we were often creating products just for the sake of filling the shelves,” Christine says. “It wasn’t a sustainable way to run the business in the long-term. With the showroom model and limited opening days, we can slow down and approach things with more intention and care.”
This article was originally published in Fashion Journal issue 196.
The new Specsavers Mimco Eyewear range is available exclusively in-store and online. To browse the range, head here.
This article The Visionaries: Suku Home’s Christine Lafian on bringing playful design into homewares appeared first on Fashion Journal.
2025-02-19 04:30:00
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