Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Christina Liedtke

Christina Liedtke shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Christina, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Every morning, before the day gets started, I journal for 10 to 20 minutes. Journaling always makes me lose track of time and find myself again. It always starts with gratitude, but then moves into mind spaces where ideas take shape—moving from sparks of inspiration to thoughtful reflection, to clarity and alignment on the next steps. It’s my process of turning vision into form. Each page becomes a space for creativity, strategy, and self-connection to meet.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Christina Liedtke, founder and creative director of ASTOURI—a women’s fashion brand dedicated to wearable art. I design pieces that translate art into bold, elegant textiles and versatile silhouettes – whether it is a city, a landscape, or an artistic expression, each piece tells a story and is then crafted into ponchos, skirts, scarves, and shawls that move beautifully with real life. What ASTOURI is most known for is both the artistic prints that are created and the exquisite fabrics that are used.

My background blends corporate beauty care sales & marketing with design thinking, so ASTOURI lives at the intersection of art, strategy, and functionality. As previously stated, each piece starts as a story—original imagery, thoughtful color, and purposeful construction—and becomes a wardrobe staple that sparks conversation. Our clients love that they can express identity and place—city pride, personal power—without sacrificing ease.

Currently I am working on a new series focusing on the power of nature and how it is reflected in everything we do- the colors, the textures, the forms created, and building on storytelling with each piece.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I don’t think there’s one defining moment—it’s been a layering of many. Each experience, big or small, has shaped how I see the world. The common threads that connect them are creativity, presence, and the power of emotional resonance through storytelling. Every time I create—whether through design, words, or vision—I’m reminded of how connected we all are, and how beauty, when shared with intention, can move people and spark transformation.

I find that the moments that move me and shape me the most – are the moments when I am asking the deeper questions in how creativity can be translated into something powerful. For example, when I designed custom couture, every design and detail had intention and symbolism to bring the design and story to life. Now that I am designing a brand, I look at the common threads of connectivity, uniqueness/differentiation, and the provocation of emotions.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Some of the defining wounds in my life have stemmed from feeling different—from seeing and feeling the world through a creative lens that didn’t always fit the structures around me. For a long time, that difference felt like dissonance. It made self-acceptance hard, silenced my voice, and created an undercurrent of not feeling “enough” or “worthy” in spaces that valued conformity over creativity.

Healing, for me, has been the process of reclaiming that difference as my power—learning to see sensitivity as strength, creativity as clarity, and individuality as contribution. Through years of reflection, journaling, and creative expression, I’ve learned that my voice was never too much—it was simply mine. Today, I channel that healed energy into my work, my brand, and my storytelling, creating from a place of wholeness rather than proving.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m deeply committed to the ongoing positioning and integration of my brand—and myself within it. It’s not just about what ASTOURI creates, but about how it communicates, connects, and evolves. I believe that powerful brands are built on clarity of message, emotional resonance, and authentic storytelling—and that takes time, refinement, and alignment.

For me, this work matters because it’s how connection is built—through consistency of voice, truth in expression, and creative integrity. The process of aligning message, meaning, and visual language isn’t a one-time project; it’s a lifelong practice of growth, reflection, and purpose-driven creation.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m doing what I was born to do.
For much of my career, I worked in sales strategy, marketing, and business intelligence within Corporate America. I valued those experiences deeply—they taught me structure, strategy, and how to think commercially. But over time, I realized I was missing a vital part of myself—the creative process. I was always drawn to the why behind the numbers, the emotion behind the message, and the art behind the brand.

Founding ASTOURI allowed me to bring those worlds together—to blend analytical thinking with creative expression, strategy with soul. It’s the first time I’ve felt fully aligned, building something that not only drives growth but also tells a story, moves people, and reflects who I truly am. It is not always easy and there are many days, weeks, or months that I am challenged by every angle of this business, but those challenges equally push me to think differently and forward.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photography: Giuliano Correia and Matthew Richmond

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