Activewear entrepreneur Lorna Jane Clarkson has snapped up SOMA Byron Bay, a spa retreat in northern New South Wales.
The move is set to become a new extension of the Lorna Jane brand, moving from active apparel into the wellness space.
A recent report by the Australian Financial Review confirmed that Clarkson paid $10.98 million for the property, making it her third purchase in the area. This includes a $14.1 million hinterland estate she bought in 2021 and a beach house.
The SOMA retreat is internationally recognised as the setting of Nine Perfect Strangers, a TV series featuring the likes of Nicole Kidman and Samara Weaving.
“At Lorna Jane, our purpose has always been to change the way we live our lives,” Clarkson said. “With SOMA, we are extending this philosophy into how we live - creating a holistic experience of wellness and vitality.”
SOMA will continue to operate under its original name with its dedicated team. Over the next 12 months, Clarkson confirmed there will be enhancements including curated new programs, expanded retreat offerings and an integration of Lorna Jane’s ‘Active Living’ and ‘Move Nourish Believe’ philosophies, without compromising SOMA’s identity.
Wellness tourism and corporate retreats are among the fastest-growing sectors of the trillion-dollar global wellness economy. In 2022, the global wellness tourism market size was estimated at US$814.6 billion (~A$1.2 trillion), according to Grand View Research. This is projected to reach US$2.1 trillion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 12.42 per cent from 2023 to 2030.
In Australia, it is projected to hit US$29.8 billion by 2030 (~A$45 billion).
According to Clarkson, her SOMA acquisition positions Lorna Jane at the forefront of this movement.
Lorna Jane was founded over 30 years ago and has scaled a retail empire globally. Amid the pandemic, the brand closed its retail operations in the United States.
In Australia, the activewear brand has around 100 stores.