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LONDON CALLING O KA, the stylish purveyor of English- designed furniture and objects, opens its first stateside stores in early 2021, following the launch of online U.S. availability in 2019. Headquartered in the Chelsea area of London, the 21-year-old brand was founded by Sue Jones, Annabel Astor, and Lucinda Waterhouse with the philosophy that good interior design should be accessible to everyone. While they're being hush- hush for now about which cities will get brick-and-mortar stores early next year, Dallas and Houston are likely StyLISh ENGLISh interiors brand OKA rolls out stores in america. locations. In 2018, OKA purchased the Dallas-based catalog and online home furnishings company Wisteria, which had retail stores in both cities and shuttered all three stores over the summer. Speculation is that OKA will move into these Wisteria stores, and that its U.S. headquarters will be in Farmer's Branch. We caught up with Sue Jones, who chatted about her fashion background, Jasper Conran, and her mission to bring a bit of British quirkiness to America. InFLUEnCES. For me, interiors and fashion are both about creating beauty, style, and comfort. Recognizing when to spend money is key: Just because something is expensive, it doesn't mean it's great. Interiors were always something that fascinated me, but much of my interest in them came when I met my husband, who has a very sophisticated eye and is a great collector. We've traveled extensively, and from that, I've discovered that very English quality of recognizing what is beautiful and how it can be adapted into a more English way of life. I'm not interested in recreating a Moroccan souk, but I am interested in Moroccan textiles and how they can be used in a way that suits my lifestyle. I love mixing different styles and products — combining old with new, super modern with blatantly classic. THE JASpER COnRAn FACTOR. I worked with Jasper Conran for 10 years and watched everything. I'm a great believer that creative people don't have to stick to their particular chosen field. Jasper is a natural master of color and form who can turn his aesthetic to anything and is as well-known for his interiors as his fashion collections. He had fantastically exciting input from his father, the late Sir Terence Conran, who was our chairman and, at that time, in the '80s, about the most important person in the home-wares and retail world. FEEDIng AMERICA. This year marks 21 years of OKA — a landmark birthday. Such a milestone usually calls for a big celebration, and that's what we initially had in mind. However, over the last few months, everyone's priorities have shifted. We're very aware that what's important right now is not a big party, but appreciating By REBECCA SHERMAn OKA Fall 2020 collection From left, OKA founders Sue Jones, Annabel Astor, Lucinda Waterhouse 60