In Conversation with Lorna Murray

In celebration of our upcoming collaboration with Australian lifestyle Lorna Murray, it was a great pleasure to sit down with the founder of her beautiful namesake label.

 

Inspired by vintage botanical illustrations and a shared love of travel, the collection -from London and Sydney, with love - is a celebration of craftsmanship and timeless, considered design.

 

Each piece is thoughtfully created to complement matching womenswear styles, with coordinating pieces for little ones, perfect for a summer of adventure. We hope you love it as much as we do.

 

Celia X

What inspired you to start your namesake brand?

The Lorna Murray brand was founded upon previous decades of designing, creating & hand making, which included a formal training background in Visual Arts at Curtin University, in Perth Western Australia. I launched the brand out of a desire to create pieces that privilege beautiful design, craftsmanship and natural materials, while remaining entirely relevant to modern life.

There has always been a natural pull toward the romance of travel, the integrity of materials, traditional craftsmanship and the quiet elegance of pieces that carry a sense of playfulness and history. This has shaped a focus on accessories that feel considered and tactile,  limited in nature, beautifully made, and expressive without excess. 

Pieces to live in, to travel with, and to return to season after season. Rather than following mass trends, the intention has always been to cultivate a world, one that celebrates natural materials, classic silhouettes,  thoughtful design, and a slower, more intentional way of dressing. That philosophy continues to guide everything we create. 

‘Our focus is on the creation of pieces that are as considered as they are beautiful, designed to be worn and loved for seasons to come – values that are deeply aligned with La Coqueta’s brand values.’ - Lorna Murray

How would you describe your brand in three words?

Timeless. Intentional. Chic

Looking back at the brand’s early years, what stands out as the greatest challenge you had to overcome?

Looking back at the early years, the greatest challenge was protecting both the integrity and the identity of the brand as it grew as well as setting up the operational systems to support this.  

As the team expanded, there were moments that required difficult decisions around alignment and values, ensuring that everyone involved truly understood and respected the ethos and values behind the brand.  At the same time, there were external challenges, including counterfeiting and a lengthy trademark dispute in China where a trademark farmer had stolen our brand name, which then took five years to resolve in our favour through the courts. 

 

While those experiences were testing, they ultimately reinforced the importance of vigilance, clarity, and resilience. They also strengthened the commitment to building a brand grounded in originality and care, and to protecting the creative work that defines it.

What has been your proudest moment and milestone so far?

One of the most meaningful milestones has been seeing the brand grow outside of the fast fashion system and building a brand that emphasises craftsmanship and responsible, sustainable practices.

 

Being able to share collections around the world each season, while continuing to celebrate traditional textile techniques and collaborate closely with skilled makers is especially significant. There is a deep sense of gratitude in that exchange,  knowing the work supports craft communities and helps preserve techniques that have been passed down through generations.

Rather than one defining moment, it has been the accumulation of small, quiet affirmations along the way,  from long-term relationships with makers, to seeing pieces travel into people’s lives across the globe,  that feels most meaningful.

What is one lesson entrepreneurship has taught you?

Entrepreneurship has reaffirmed the importance of resilience, consistent execution, and staying steady through uncertainty, while navigating people and decisions without losing sight of the core values and ethos. 

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Stay agile, flexible, creative and open in your thinking. Be willing to adjust quickly, solve problems as they come and keep moving rather than overthinking or getting stuck in perfection.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from anywhere; it has no boundaries. Ultimately, it is a layered process of collecting references from the past and present, studying nature & people, then reinterpreting through a contemporary lens to create something that feels both familiar and new.

How do you balance creativity with the demands of running a business?

Creativity is the strength, not something to manage, but something to trust. When it’s valued and protected, it naturally finds its place within the structure of the business. The key is to believe in your ideas, trust your intuition & stay open, and stay confident in the way you think. Creativity is the strength, it’s often the very thing that sets everything apart.

Lorna Murray X La Coqueta Collaboration

What feels most special about the collection is the shared appreciation for craftsmanship, play and storytelling - there is a natural alignment in the way both brands honour tradition while creating something that feels contemporary and relevant. The pieces feel joyful yet considered, with a sense of nostalgia that’s been gently reinterpreted for today.

There’s also something very endearing about the idea of connection woven through the collection - which speaks to the appeal of matching mummy and me pieces. It’s less about uniformity and more about a subtle reflection of one another, a shared moment or memory expressed through what is worn. This sentiment feels increasingly resonant, particularly as people look for pieces that carry meaning beyond the season.

Travel

What are your five travel essentials?

  1. Self confidence 
  2. A hat & tote bag, always! Both practical and a constant companion.
  3. A clutch for evenings out 
  4. A lightweight scarf or wrap that can shift between climates and occasions.
  5. A notebook for capturing ideas, references, and fleeting observations.

We adore all that you do and would like to round up the conversation by asking, what’s next for you?

To be revealed, in time. 

We share a lovely of travel, experiencing different cultures and customs around the world. You split your time between Sydney and South-East Asia. Do you have a favourite destination that continues to inspire you?

There isn’t one single destination - inspiration for me comes from the contrast between places. Time spent in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India has been incredibly influential, particularly through the richness of textile traditions, craftsmanship, and the rhythm of daily life. At the same time, Europe offers a different kind of inspiration,  a sense of history, refinement and enduring style, while the US brings an energy and openness that feels forward-looking and expressive. 

It’s really the interplay between these places that continues to inspire me - moving between them, observing their differences and allowing those layers of culture, colour, and craftsmanship to inform the work in a more intuitive way.

Where is next on your list?

There is always a pull towards places that feel rich in art, craft, architecture and culture. Destinations where tradition is still deeply embedded in everyday life. Inspiration also comes from returning as much as discovering and revisiting places with a deeper understanding always reveals something new.

How do your travels influence your creative process or design perspective?

Travel brings a sense of perspective that’s difficult to replicate in one place. It’s less about direct reference and more about absorbing atmosphere - the colours of a landscape, the way textiles are worn, the rhythm of daily life, and the subtle details that often go unnoticed.

It naturally informs the design process in a quiet, intuitive way,  through texture, palette, proportion.... rather than something overly literal. Moving between different cultures also creates a sense of contrast, which helps refine what feels essential and timeless. Ultimately, it keeps the work layered and considered, allowing each collection to carry a sense of place without being tied to one.

Shop the Lorna Murray X La Coqueta Collection

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