After collaborating on one 540-square-foot cottage remodel and two enchanting kids, Laleh and Alessandro decided to put their creative energy into some new designs for the rest of the world and launched SOBU in January of 2011. It just made sense: With Alessandro’s furniture and architecture background, Laleh’s photography and graphic design work, and a combined client list that includes Crate & Barrel, Macy's, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Design Within Reach, they had the chops.
They also share a global sensibility and diverse backgrounds that inspire their designs. Born in Tehran, Laleh ("tulip" in Farsi) moved to San Francisco as a young child with her family to escape the revolution. Alessandro, born in Rome, followed his ever-complicated family from Sardinia through Germany, France and Brazil, finally landing in the Bay Area. High-school classmates, the couple didn't tie the knot until many years later, and they are now settled in a cozy bungalow on the isle of Alameda.
Their plan is pretty simple, really:
- Create exclusive, classic, limited-quantity designs that will look great for years to come
- Craft them well so they will last for all those years to come
- Offer them at affordable prices that really are within reach
Visit often to see where inspiration takes these two...along with furniture, you may find accessories, art and all kinds of other clever notions.
