Design, Detours & the Road to SOBU
Named after our kids, Sofia and Bruno, SOBU began back in 2011 with a simple idea for a kids’ bed. That idea blossomed into a pop-up shop in Old Oakland, then a shared space in Rockridge, and finally, in 2016, making the Rockridge space our very own. Our mission? To design modern, well-crafted furniture made from natural materials—pieces built to last, not just fleeting trends from corporate giants. At SOBU, it’s all about connection, quality, and that extra personal touch.
Alessandro and I go way back—we met in high school, reconnected after college, and eventually built a life together filled with family, work, and a shared dream. Alessandro’s background in architecture and furniture design mixed perfectly with my experience in graphic design and photography to spark the creation of SOBU.
And to think really it kick started with a little note. While visiting from New York, Alessandro spotted me on my Vespa and left a message in my helmet, asking me out for coffee. That coffee turned into a shared journey—moving around San Francisco, a wild (and slightly ill-fated) move to Southern France, a 1-year break-up, and then back together, arrival of our two amazing kids and the birth of the third: SOBU.
My high school Vespa is still around, now getting a restoration from our dear friend Michael—almost there! And we recently added a 1976 Alfa Romeo to the vintage mix.
— Laleh
Design Director & Co-founder
Alessandro Latini
Alessandro was born in Rome and spent his early childhood in places like Sardinia and Rio de Janeiro—pretty dreamy backdrops for a kid to start noticing good design and craftsmanship. Later on, he made his way to UC Berkeley to study architecture, but it was the department's woodworking studio that really pulled him in. That’s where he fell in love with furniture making.
After graduating, he moved to New York and started building custom pieces out of a tiny basement apartment in the East Village. A serendipitous run-in with his high school friend Laleh brought him back to San Francisco. He worked at two prestigious SF architecture firms, but furniture design was calling. His work’s been featured by brands such as Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, but what really drives him is sourcing sustainable materials and collaborating with talented craftspeople both locally and globally.
Creative Director & Co-founder
Laleh Latini
Laleh was born in Iran and moved to San Francisco with her family when she was eight. After high school, she started out studying interior architecture at UC Davis, then switched things up and dove into film and photography. A couple of years after college, she packed a backpack and set off on an epic around-the-world adventure with a college friend—13 countries, 4 continents, and endless visual inspiration, capturing thousands of images on film along the way.
Once back in SF, she dabbled in commercial photography, but quickly knew it didn't satisfy her soul. She transitioned to freelance graphic design and built her career from there working with brands like Pottery Barn and Design Within Reach, all while keeping her camera close. You’ll see her photography throughout the SOBU site, and every now and then, you might spot a few of her images available at our Oakland showroom.
A family effort—Alessandro, with kiddos, Bruno and Sofia, painting the walls of the original SOBU on 9th Street in Old Oakland in 2013—where it all began.
L to R: The Old Oakland storefront; a little downtime at the shop with Alessandro, Bruno and Sofia; Laleh and Alessandro at the SOBU opening party with Laleh's brother Soheil.