As a model, creative consultant and founder and creative director of lifestyle brand BEAR, Saasha Burns is one of Melbourne’s most influential leaders in style.
Saasha Burns and husband Sammy Leetham founded BEAR – a modern Australian lifestyle brand offering a bespoke range of essential daily vitamins – earlier in 2017. But if that wasn’t enough to keep Saasha busy, she’s also juggling a contributor’s role for Vogue Australia as part of their Spy Style network while basing herself in London.
We asked Saasha some questions around her motivations, her challenges and the secret to her success. Read on below.
Can you give an overview of your career path to date?
I’ve always been creative and had a clear vision for what I wanted to achieve in life. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a creative director, I just thought it would be in a large advertising company. I completed a Bachelor of Communication in Creative Advertising at RMIT University, then went on to complete Award School and work as a copywriter.
I’ve worked in the fashion industry as a model with Chadwick for more than a decade, both in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as internationally in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, and Zurich. My love for writing, travel, and design led me to create my website Straat Stories as a platform to document my travels and share my unique experiences with others.
I’m now also a contributor for Vogue Australia as part of their Spy Style network and love nothing more than creating a discerning edit of my favourite places to share with like-minded people. My husband Sam and I launched BEAR, a modern Australian lifestyle brand earlier in the year with a bespoke range of essential daily vitamins that fit seamlessly into your morning and grooming routine. We are proud to be stocked in Mecca throughout Australia and New Zealand, which speaks to our joint commitment to integrate inner health and beauty to support a healthy lifestyle. I continue to model, consult, and create content for brands, alongside my work as creative director for BEAR.
What do you love most about your job?
I love the feeling of being constantly inspired and challenged, the sense of freedom, the endless learning, and working alongside my husband Sammy each and every day.
“I love the feeling of being constantly inspired and challenged, the sense of freedom, the endless learning…”
What is the biggest obstacle you’ve overcome, as it relates to your career or industry?
To embrace change, stay open-minded and be unafraid to do things a little differently.
What motivates you?
Life is short, do something you love.
What do you wish you’d known at the start of your career?
The importance of saying no.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Be an individual.
Who do you most admire in business? Why?
My husband Sammy is a true leader. I admire his innate business acumen, his strong work ethic, and his ability to effectively execute ideas. He has a natural warmth with everyone he meets and it’s his ability to connect with and inspire others that I believe is his key to success.
What do you believe is the secret to your success?
Hard work, good timing, and great relationships.
What is your life motto?
Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain
You have already achieved so much, but what’s next for you?
We are always looking ahead. We are so excited to launch BEAR in the US in November and are in the final stages of organising our launch event in Palm Springs. We are also developing a number of new lifestyle products of the highest quality that reaches beyond our bespoke range of BEAR essential daily vitamins.
We are proud to be working closely with WildArk, a modern Australian conservation movement that helps protect and conserve the natural wonders of the world and the wild animals that inhabit them. BEAR donates a fixed amount from each product sold and together, we hope to make a significant difference to species protection and conservation projects worldwide in the years to come.
