A life dedicated to inspire and be inspired by women seems to be a pre-destined matter for Sebastian Gunawan. Born in a tight knit family with 4 brothers and 2 sisters, his interest in style started early thanks to his elegant mother's natural flair in fashion. This led to a discovery that the young Sebastian Gunawan is gifted in fashion illustration. From mere hobby, this talent was then honed by a degree in fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. The glamorous air of Hollywood seems to be a starting point for his design inspirations, something that was later honed at Milan's famed Instituto Morangoni. It was here when he met his wife and creative partner, Cristina Panarese. He and Cristina then came back to Jakarta, Indonesia and launched his line, Sebastian Gunawan in 1993. In the same year represented Indonesia at the prestigious "Young Fashion Designers Contest". His distinctive style was later recognized internationally when he received the First Award at the "International Apparel Federation World Young Designer Award 2004" in Barcelona, Spain. A year later he was invited to show his collection at "Moda in 3D" in Rome, Italy.