Home JOURNAL Globetrotter | Sibella Court

Globetrotter | Sibella Court

Meet interior stylist, globetrotter, and author Sibella Court. This former boho-chic New Yorker recently moved back home after 10 years of styling for Bergdorf Goodman, Jo Malone, Donna Karan, and Saks Fifth Avenue. She now own a boutique in Sydney, Australia called The Society Inc, which is filled with homewares and eclectic finds inspired by her wanderlust. Read about Sibella's world travels and style inspiration.

Describe your closet. What are some of your most treasured items?

I just built a sample closest. It is a walk-in room with a purpose-built railing system, a chaise covered in hand dyed drop cloths, an old bookshelf for my hats, a huge, antique French painters ladder that I need to reach the top, Deborah Bowness wallpaper drops, and old leather luggage for my maks and belts ? dress-up boxes! My most treasured items are my amulets and my white Indian Headdress.

Who is your biggest inspiration and why?

My mother was a textile collector, specializing in central Asian textiles. She traveled the world and opened my eyes to different cultures, histories, and stories and the excitement of discovering them.

What are your globetrotter tips for living like a "local" in Sydney?

Swim and relax in the sauna at Icebergs in Bondi and be sure to eat at Mr. Wong. Walk from Bondi Beach to Bronte Beach, then visit the Macleay Museum at The University of Sydney. Don't forget to marvel at the unsual flowers at the Seasonal Concepts in Redfern. The Boathouse at Palm Beach has amazing views and cuisine (catch a seaplane there!). Get your textiles from Sally Campbell.

Bondi Icebergs: 1 Notts Ave, Bondi Beach NSW 2026, (02) 9130 3120, info@icebergs.com.au. Mr. Wong: 3 Bridge Ln, Sydney NSW 2000, +61 2 9240 3000. Macleay Museum: Macleay Bldg Science Rd, Camperdown NSW 2050, +61 2 9351 2222. Seasonal Concepts: 122 Redfern Street, Redfern NSW 2016, +61 2 8399 2435. The Boathouse at Palm Baach: Governor Phillip Park, Palm Beach NSW 2108, +61 2 9974 3868. Sally Campbell: Call Sally at 0415 403 760 to make an appointment.

Where are your must-go spots in your favorite cities?

New York City: Stay at Lafayette House and go to the Noguchi Museum. Shop at Paula Rubenstein and Love Adorned and make sure to get customized perfume from Le Labo!

Kyoto: A love for Japanese merchant tradition and architecture makes Kyoto one of my favorite desitinations. Stay at Iori, a traditional merchants home that has been salvaged and transformed into accommodation. Make sure to request a bicycle upon arrival so as to easily get around this flat city.

Hanoi: It is easy to spend days walking the streets of old town, Hanoi. Cong Caphe is an uber cool caf? for when you need a pitstop -- with beautiful, soft, mid-tone browns, and antique wooden chairs. The light throughout is gorgeous.

Noguchi Museum: 9-01 33rd Rd, New York, NY 11106, (718) 204-7088. Lafayette House: 38 E 4th St #1, New York, NY 10003, (212) 505-8100. Paula Rubenstein: 21 Bond St, New York, NY 10012, (212) 966-8954. Love Adorned: 269 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012, (212) 431-5683. Le Labo: 233 Elizabeth St New York, NY, (212) 219-2230. Iori: 144-6 Sujiya-cho Takatsuji-agaru, Tominokoji-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8061 Japan, +81-(0)75-352-0211. Cong Caphe: 32 ?i?n Bi?n Ph?, ?i?n Bi?n, Ba Dinh District, H? N?i, Vietnam +84 4 2247 0602.

Describe The Society Inc in 3 words.

Merchants, tinkers, and oddities. My shop is an old hardware and haberdashery store showcasing a range of oddities, curiosities, and all my finds from across the globe. In this space, upstairs and down, I bring together all of my inspiration to create my projects. I concept, design and style interiors for bars and restaurants, write my books, and create my product lines.

How does New York, your home for 10 years prior to moving to Sydney, inspire your collection?

The industriousness of New York means that everything you could ever wish for was right at your finger tips. It's inspiring to be given the freedom of availability of product, or making anything you want to design in short time frames. My obsession for hardware also started in New York. I spent many afternoons trolling through P.E Geurin?s collections. My obsession inspired my latest hardware range, available soon.

Who are the women that wear your brand?

The women that wear my brand are globetrotters, roamers, and seekers. They're curious and inventive.

Which city do you identify most with and why? How does that city inspire your collection?There is never one city or one place. My collections, product designs, commercial spaces, and my own interiors are all inspired by my travels. Byron Bay in Australia is where I write all of my books. My Flamingo surfboard was inspired by my trip to the Galapagos last year. My soap and candle range is derived from all of the sights, soundscapes, and smells I encounter on my globetrotting. For example, when I went to Transylvania, I smelled so much almond blossom. The scent was layered with spring shoots, honey, and heady lilac, which I am now transforming into my own travel scent. To name just one place would be too hard!

What is your favorite item that you have ever been given or purchased while you were traveling?

I love souvenirs, but not your average stuff. I love a memento or token of the many far-flung places I have visited. It's so hard to pick one; I have books of them! I do seem to pick up paintings and textiles as they conveniently lie flat my luggage.

What are three things besides your passport you never leave home without?

My amulets (you can never have too much protection), my Filsons luggage, my cashmere throw, and my cameras: Canon 5D, G15.

Globetrotter Stats

Souk or Department Store?

Souk

DIY or Concierge Service?

All the information then edit!

Buy Everything or Buy Nothing?

Depends on shipping options

Camping or 5-Star Hotel?

Glamping

Drive or be Driven?