Celebs At Home: Fashion designer reveals ‘dirty little secret’
We go inside the home of an Aussie fashion designer and discover not everything is as it seems. WATCH THE VIDEO.
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Fashion powerhouse Thessy Batsinilas has a confession to make.
The Brisbane-based designer and co-founder of the popular clothing label, Sabo, always looks immaculate, but she has admitted to harbouring a “dirty little secret”.
Hidden amongst her enviable collection of clothing, shoes, and bags, is a drawer dedicated to her “embarrassing” and “daggy” pyjama collection — including her favourite Grinch nightie.
It’s in the walk-in wardrobe in the master suite of the luxury home she shares with her husband, Georgio, in Holland Park West that the mother-of-two feels most comfortable.
“This is my bedtime comfort,” she said. “Big tee, you know, to my knees.”
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Then she pulls out a pair of well-worn, cut off tracksuit pants. “It’s my dirty little secret!”
Of course, there’s an entire section dedicated to Sabo sets — every girl’s dream.
“I have a rotation of clothes, so I’ll bring clothes home, and then I’ll wear them for a while,” she said.
Her Mediterranean-inspired home is a tribute to her Greek roots, and is a stunning combination of curves, Venetian plaster, marble, and olive trees.
A hand-carved, ceramic plate sits proudly on the stone benchtop in the kitchen, depicting a picture of the Greek church in which her daughter, Zani, was christened.
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It was also the location she and her husband visited in the hope of falling pregnant during their well-publicised fertility battle.
“It’s also, like, a famous church known for fertility miracles, and I ran there for my second child and got pregnant,” she said.
Being married to the owner of the FitazFK gym chain means their fridge is always stocked with healthy food.
The only hint of indulgence were two bottles of white wine. “I love my wine,” she said.
One of the highlights of the home are the joint backyards she created with her neighbours, who happen to be her two brothers — one of whom is married to her best friend and co-founder of Sabo, Yiota Kouzoukas.
Every afternoon, the neighbours gather to watch their kids play together, with the sun setting over the Brisbane city skyline as a breathtaking backdrop.
“It’s so special for (the kids),” she said. “They have the best fun.”
The entrepreneurial power couple bought the property for $1.14m at auction in 2019.
They demolished the existing house on the site before enlisting Esat Design for the design, and Batspac for the build of the modern home.
Aptly called ‘Grece’, everything within the five-bedroom home has its place, which allows the simplicity of the neutral colour palette and styling by interior design firm, Fform, to shine through.
Moving into the home last year was a “full-circle moment” for Thessy, who had previously lived in the same street in her early 20s.
“Sabo was actually started in the suburb,” she said. “I had driven past my future property so many times and been blissfully unaware.”