From East To West

By: Nizie Lokman & Cristina Deptula

From East to West

Interior Designer Jonathan Rachman

Jonathan Rachman

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Sometimes [you have to] expect the unexpected. I never expected to meet Marc Jacobs, but one thing led to another. Marc Jacobs and his company deserve credit for allowing me to break through into interior designing.

Indonesian-born interior designer Jonathan Rachman, founder of San Francisco-based Jonathan Rachman Design, has crafted a beautiful path in life. He overcame childhood struggles to become a success on his own terms.

Named one of America’s Top Designers, he speaks openly about his childhood, his mission to inspire compassion, humility, and love, and his breathtaking work that combines design elements from all corners of the globe.

Love Prevails

Rachman was born in the small town of Tanjung Karang in the province of Lampung on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. He had a difficult childhood, experiencing bullying and abuse. Fortunately, his late adopted sister Wewe’s love and support gave him the strength to heal. He decided to share his journey of growth and forgiveness through his first-ever memoir, The Garlic Peanut Story.

“Initially, I was planning to write a letter to my late sister’s children in loving memory of their mother from my perspective. However, I realized that this story is more than [just about] my family and me, so I decided to write a memoir instead, ” Rachman recalled. He hopes to inspire and help others who have gone through similar experiences, including children from remote parts of the world.

I remembered when I told my very religious parents about my sexuality and my relationship with my then-boyfriend, now husband. They simply told us: love prevails. Faith, hope, and love will always win.

As he reflected on his experience, he admitted, “Yes, [the experiences] are a part of me and how I grew into the person that I am today.” He added, “I am a survivor, and if after all my adversities I can be where I am today, so can anyone. I want to pay it forward and share [my] blessings through the good, bad, and the ugly parts of my story.” He hopes to inspire others.

Professional and Cultural Influences

Rachman originally studied fashion and hospitality management in Switzerland. Interior design was not the career he planned for, but as he says, opportunities landed in his lap and he chose to follow them.

Sometimes [you have to] expect the unexpected. I never expected to meet Marc Jacobs, but one thing led to another. Marc Jacobs and his company deserve credit for allowing me to break through into interior designing.

Rachman’s inspirations come from people he admires, including Jacobs, but also from the artwork of the many places he has lived and visited. In Sumatra he was exposed to sculptures, textiles, carvings, stonework, architecture, paintings and cultural ceremonies. European architecture and design also inform his work, particularly that of France and Switzerland.

Read more at https://issuu.com/rareluxuryliving/docs/troora_san_francisco_2021_pages/54