Koh Samui is best known for its turquoise waters, soft sands, and slow island rhythm. Yet for many of us who live here, what we often miss is a place where art and design can be experienced together, a space that inspires, connects, and cultivates creativity.
This year, the island welcomed its first international art center, House of Lucie, which opened its doors in January. Located beside a lotus pond in Bophut, the two floor gallery and event space brings together international and local artists, curates exhibitions across disciplines, and hosts designers from around the world.
For me, it has quickly become a place of inspiration. I was present at the opening party earlier this year, wearing the Esse Cross Halter Top from my summer capsule collection, and I have returned often for exhibitions ranging from photography to design. Each visit has been a reminder of how much I had missed engaging with art and exhibitions on the island.
Opening party at Samui Art Center in January 2025, a moment captured with founder Hossein Farmani and photographer Steve McCurry.
Most recently, I attended the Thai Designers Exhibition, a vibrant showcase of contemporary design talent. It was a rainy island day, yet the atmosphere inside was bright, alive, and filled with creativity. I wore the Horizon Maxi Kimono from my new Soft Horizons collection, a piece created to flow with ease and presence, and it felt right at home among conversations with island community and fellow creatives.
Thai Designers Opening in August 2025, a warm welcoming by founder Apple Farmani.
What I love about House of Lucie is more than the art itself. It is the way it brings people together, travelers, locals, and visionaries, in an atmosphere that feels intimate yet expansive. Each gathering leaves me more inspired, more connected, and more grateful to be part of a community where fashion, design, and art intertwine.
A special thank you to Apple Farmani, who welcomes and sustains this cultural space with warmth and vision. Her dedication has given our island a place where creativity is honored, and where new perspectives meet the natural beauty of Koh Samui.
For those who visit the island, House of Lucie is more than an art center. It is a place to pause, to reflect, and to experience the richness of culture amidst island living. For me, it has become a reminder that art is not only found in galleries in cities far away. It can be rooted right here, by the lotus pond, on the island I call home.
Soft Horizons is a collection inspired by gentle transitions and presence. Wearing it in spaces like House of Lucie feels like a continuation of its essence, a celebration of art, connection, and island soul.
House of Lucie Koh Samui : https://www.houseoflucie.org/koh-samui/ @houseoflucie.samui
