Sebastian Gunawan

Sebastian Gunawan calls the style of his elegant, three-story North Jakarta home “eclectic Mediterranean”. The influence of the Greek isles and the fashion designer’s Italian wife, Cristina, is seen in the tiled floors, whitewashed walls, collection of Roman busts and huge windows that bathe the living and dining rooms in light. The wooden dining table is the focus of Sebastian’s frequent get-togethers. “Most of the time we end up here, sitting at the table with something to eat and drink,” said the 40-year-old, who now has five labels to his name, from his high fashion Sebastian line to the tween-targeted Bubble Girl. “There is the sofa in the living room, but it’s so much more comfortable just to sit around the table and talk.”

Religious icons
I carry these with me all the time; I have three that I bought in Greece. One I take with me on my travels, and another I keep in my office. You could say I am someone who hates to be alone!

Dogs
When I was a kid, my father and brothers always loved big dogs. Now that I have my own house, I can have as many small dogs as I want. I have 19, all long-haired small breeds like Pomeranians, Scottish terriers, and poodles. Five of them sleep with me every night, and two always come with me to work. They are so sensitive; they know when you are sad.

Statues
I love paintings for their beauty, but they are flat. With statues, there also is the beauty, but there are different angles to look at. You can look at the front and the back to appreciate the overall beauty of it. I love the work of Widayanto. 

My parents’ photos
I always have pictures of my parents with me; in my office and home. Seeing them, I realize that you can have a good life but life is tough. There was a time when I was economically OK, but I was so depressed because I couldn’t tell my father I wanted to be a fashion designer. Whenever I see pictures of my parents, I remember the stories they told me about what they had to face.

My wife
She is my partner, my colleague, we do everything together. And although it is the Sebastian label, we started everything together.

My daughter
Allesia keeps me young. Sometimes kids want a funky father, so that is a good thing! I designed Bubble Girl with her in mind.    

My painting
My favorite painting in the house is Adu Nasib (Playing with Fate) by Mangu Putra. It shows that every day is full of risks and that life is a gamble.

The song ‘Caruso’
It’s very sentimental, actually. My father came over to Milan, and every day his face showed that he wasn’t sure about his decision to let me study fashion. He told me, “I’m not really sure you will become famous before you die.” It really broke my heart, and made me tougher. I have the Il Divo version of the song; it always reminds me of that time.

Frangipani

I live with these flowers every day. I have them everywhere, including in my shower. I know people think it’s a flower for cemeteries, but to me it’s a rare something you can only find in tropical places. It shows the beauty of the tropics.

Mannequin 
I work with mannequins at the office, but I have to keep one at home, on the third floor. It gives me inspiration to work, to create. For me, it’s one of the most important things.

+ Bruce Emond

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