March 23, 2024

5 Minutes with Sacha Strebe

Back in January, we co-hosted an event in Los Angeles with the radiant Sacha Strebe. Sacha grew up in Australia, but has called LA home for nearly 10 years now - where she works as the editorial director at EyeSwoon - seamlessly blending her background in media and curated eye for interiors.

We sat down with Sacha in her beautiful LA home to chat about building a network in a new city, hidden LA gems, her personal style and favourite pieces from our Autumn '24 collection.

Introduce yourself to the FWF community; tell us a little about you, your background and what you do.

I was born in Cairns, but grew up on the Gold Coast in Queensland where all of my immediate family still reside. After studying for a BA in Languages & Linguistics, I went to live in London for 2 years. After that, I went backpacking solo through Europe and subsequently met my now husband in Nice, France (but that is a story for another time!). I eventually returned home and went back to university to complete a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism for one year before I was hired as a cadet at the Gold Coast Bulletin. It took me a few years in several departments to earn my stripes and climb the ranks until I finally secured a coveted spot in the features department where I worked on their Tuesday magazine reporting on local style and beauty trends.

About a year or so in that role my husband secured a job at Nobody Denim in Melbourne, Victoria. Our son, Neon was only two years old at the time and we had no family down there, but we loved the idea of moving to the city and starting a new life together. We spent four incredible years in Melbourne, made lifelong friends, and just reveled in the arts, style, and culture of the city but it was time to move again.

So we sold almost everything and made the international move to Arizona where my husband, Troy grew up. We had no contacts or job prospects but within two weeks, I secured a job at Clique as the Lifestyle Editor of MyDomaine (former sister site to Who What Wear) so we packed up and drove to Los Angeles. Troy found an incredible apartment in the heart of Silver Lake on Craiglist and it was our home for eight years. We worked our asses off to build a life for ourselves in the City of Angels navigating parenting with no family support and demanding jobs, but we are so proud of what we’ve achieved and the new family and friends we’ve made here.

After working in several director roles across design and beauty media, I landed at EyeSwoon where I have the profound opportunity to co-create and collaborate with interior designer, chef, and author, Athena Calderone. Last year, we finally bought our first home in Altadena (near Pasadena). It’s about 15 minutes from the heart of downtown but it feels like we’re in the middle of nature because located in the foothills of the San Gabrielino mountains. It reminds me of home in Australia so much. We love to hike and mountain bike all of the trails that are just on our doorstep now. We couldn’t be happier.

A few months ago you co-hosted a launch event with our founder Julia, to celebrate our LA residency at women’s retailer, Teller. It was such a lovely evening! And so nice meeting your close network of women in LA. What does your community mean to you, and how did you go about building your support network when you first moved to LA? 

Moving to a new city with no family and no friends is daunting, to say the least, but Troy, Neon, and I have an unbreakable bond. We drew strength from this foundation of love. It gave me the confidence I needed to navigate the unknowns, take risks, and put myself out there. I also worked at a popular media company which meant I was invited to a ton of events. In the beginning, I said yes to just about everything, turning up solo, putting myself in situations where I was forced to meet new people, make new connections, and in many cases, new friends. LA is such a beautiful melting pot of talented people who come here to turn their creativity into a career so I have made so many friends across the spectrum from publicists to content creators, musicians, artists, and creatives. I love it!

What are some hidden gems in LA that everyone who visits should explore?

The Huntington Library and it's surrounding gardens are a must-see. They have a new tea house there that I am dying to visit but it’s booked out for months! Make sure you go when the roses are blooming—it’s incredible! I also really love the short hike near our house called Millard Falls which has a beautiful waterfall at the end. And you must go antiquing and thrifting in Pasadena! There are so many amazing places. For art and design, check out Galerie Ground, Apparatus, Galerie Half, and of course, our Aussie friends, Olive Atelier who have an incredible space near the arts district in downtown LA.

How would you describe your personal style? 

It’s elegant and sexy with a casual twist. For example, I love a sheer, fitted top but worn with a pair of low-slung distressed jeans or a backless dress worn with chunky platform boots. It has to strike that balance—a little sexy and a little relaxed, all at once!

What is your go-to look for a day at work?

I work from my dining room so sometimes my work-from-home looks are just matching sweats but lately, I have really been loving the Friends With Frank Willa pants worn with their Agnes Cardigan. This is truly the perfect transitional outfit as the weather is finally starting to warm up for spring.

You wear FWF so well. What is your favourite look from the Autumn ’24 collection?

I am obsessed with the Agnes Cardigan. I have it in oatmeal but I think I need it in the nutmeg now too. It’s just the most beautiful shape and feels so luxurious on the skin—no itching or scratching here! I’m also LOVING the Esther Cropped Trench. The structured high collar, the balloon sleeve shape, and the sleeves that hit just at the top of your knuckles—it’s perfection!