Lorna Jane to relaunch Byron Bay’s SOMA

When Byron Bay’s SOMA was sold to Australian entrepreneur Lorna Jane Clarkson – of iconic athletic brand Lorna Jane – and husband Bill, it was about fulfilling a dream that’s been years in the making.

“SOMA was the natural progression of something I have wanted to do for years,” Ms Clarkson told realcommercial.com.au, who has rebranded the property SOMA Lorna Jane.

“This is all about giving our customers a truly immersive experience of the philosophy I have been talking about for decades, and I would do it again tomorrow.”

Clarkson paid $10.98 million for SOMA in late 2025, which set a new benchmark for commercial property sales in Ewingsdale, about 5km from Byron Bay.

Located on 22 acres, SOMA Lorna Jane is one of the Australia’s most hyped and loved sanctuaries in the country.

It’s perhaps best known as being the film location where Nine Perfect Strangers was filmed, an adaption of the smash hit novel by Liane Moriarty, starring Nicole Kidman.

“This is my third property purchase in the Byron area,” Ms Clarkson said.

“We bought the Coorabell Estate back in 2021, so my belief in the region is not new, and it has only deepened. What makes Byron different is that it is not just a beautiful postcode.

“It is a destination that people travel across the world for, and it sits right at the centre of one of the biggest economic stories going.

“SOMA lets us provide the environment and the experience as well, something a woman can walk into and actually feel. So, when Bill and I found out SOMA was on the market, we jumped at it – it is a magical place.”

SOMA Lorna Jane has been extensively remodelled and welcomes just 10 guests at a time, allowing for a peaceful and relaxing experience. Picture: Supplied

The retreat has been refurbished and will take bookings from September. SOMA Lorna Jane leaned into a natural colour palette that takes a leaf out of the Hinterland in which its located – think warm terracotta and clay accents, soft sand and blush, sage greens through to deep forest tones.

There’s a circular fire pit for sunset, the Zen stone garden, and a hanging chair under a 200-year-old fig tree.

There are just 10 suites on the property that boasts new walking trails, a sauna and magnesium baths, a saltwater pool and two wellness domes for movement and meditation, which featured heavily in the Nine Perfect Strangers series.

“I never wanted a spa where you just switch off for a weekend and forget it by Wednesday. Our retreats are designed around the real conversations modern women are having – burnout, hormonal change, habits, longevity, and finding balance in demanding lives,” Ms Clarkson said.

She said SOMA is an extension of Lorna Jane’s four-decade mission to give women the tools for active living.

“Customers now expect more than products. They want experiences that enrich their lives, and I think you will see more brands moving into experiential property. Byron is exactly where that story is being written.

“You arrive, you learn, you connect, and you leave feeling re-energised and ready to take on the world,”

Lorna Jane Clarkson inside the iconic wellness dome. Picture: Supplied

From Brisbane dining table to wellness empire

Clarkson launched the Lorna Jane brand in 1990, an accident that began with sewing garments at her dining room table, which has grown into a multi-million-dollar empire.

“I was a dental therapist working 9 to 5 and a fitness instructor on the side when I started the business,” she said.

“The workout clothing available to women back then was less than ordinary. Men’s style running shorts, oversized yoga pants or a G-string leotard, and that was about it.

“I started making my own pieces on a sewing machine and the moment I knew I was onto something was when I looked up during a class one day and every woman in the room was wearing something I had made. That moment was it and I quit my day job.”

SOMA was famously the shooting location for Nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman. Picture: Supplied

Ms Clarkson opened her first store in Brisbane soon after. There’s been many changes over the decades since then, but it was never just about activewear – a term many credit Ms Clarkson with coining.

“We were never just selling clothing, we were selling a way of living. And the little Heart Bead that’s sewn in every garment is a personal promise to woman who wears the brand – a reminder of her work ethos and philosophy.”

During Covid, Ms Clarkson created waves when she put Lorna Jane back into full family ownership, buying back a minority stake in the business that was originally sold off in 2010; it was a deal reportedly worth $28 million.

“We never set out to be the biggest activewear brand in the world. We set out to do it the best, and 37 years on I still feel like we have so much more we can do for women with SOMA being a huge part of that story.”

Lorna Jane has 102 stores across Australia, and more than 115 including New Zealand. There’s a presence in China and international markets too.