
A PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE BY SARAH & SEBASTIAN
THE XANTHE PROJECT
The ocean is the driving force for SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s design ethos values and mission. In honour of our 10th anniversary in 2022, we’re looking ahead to the next decade, the most crucial for ocean conservation.
The Xanthe Project is SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s pledge as a company to donate over a million dollars to ocean conservation within the next decade.
Donations will be made from various initiatives including collection and product-specific sales as well as ongoing contributions.
PROUDLY SUPPORTING
OUR PARTNERS
The Xanthe Project is proud to support four independent Australian not-for-profit organisations whose mission aligns with ours across education, activism, political change and commercial impact.
Read more about our partners below.


DIRECTED BY ALICE WESLEY-SMITH
NOW YOU SEE ME
SEBASTIAN is honoured to present NOW YOU SEE ME, a series of short films directed by photographer & filmmaker Alice Wesley-Smith, designed to create awareness for the challenges Australia’s most endangered marine life face.
THE REEF
Centered on one of Australia’s most vulnerable ecosystems, the Great Barrier reef, the second film in the NOW YOU SEE ME series further highlights the challenges facing the world below the surface.
Filmed in the Great Barrier Reef, Alice Wesley Smith and SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s Creative Director, Sarah Munro, have captured footage of the iconic reef, captivated by the sophisticated, delicate world of the largest living structure on the planet. Written by RUSSH contributing editor, Anna Harrison and narrated by model and passionate advocate for the ocean Victoria Lee, the film beautifully documents the soaring reefs, deep canyons, and artistic coral forms in cinematic vision.
The Great Barrier Reef is in danger and facing urgent action. Rising ocean temperatures, fuelled by a warming climate mean the persistence of frequency in marine heatwaves. With this, coral expel zooxanthellae, losing nutrients which leads to starvation and often their death. The impact is devastating and unprecedented.
“Coral is undoubtedly resilient and whilst it is self-regenerating and regulating, the threats are occurring too quickly for the coral to adapt. The existence of coral is defined by its harmonious exchange with the ecosystem of the ocean and now is the time to take meaningful action to restore the balance in our environment.” – Sarah Munro
AUSTRALIAN SEA LIONS
The first film in the series shines a spotlight on Australian sea lions, Australia’s only endemic marine mammal. Filmed in Baird Bay in South Australia, Alice Wesley-Smith and SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s
Creative Director Sarah Munro travelled to the remote destination to capture footage of a unique, thriving colony of Australia sea lions
in their home on Jones Island.
There, they met and fell in love with these playful, curious creatures and set about to tell their story.
Australian sea lion numbers have fallen by 60% in just four decades,
and are facing urgent extinction. Unique to our shores, these
beautiful animals are found along the coastline of South and Western
Australia. With only an estimated 6,500 adults left, they are now
considered endangered as listed by Australian Government in 2021.