Fashion designer Jessica Johansen-Bell, star of Netflix’s Byron Baes, is again trying to offload her building block at Bangalow, the Byron Bay hinterland town popular with celebrities.
Johansen-Bell looks set to take a loss on the 800 sqm block she bought for $860,000 in 2023.
The guide is $600,000 to $660,000 for its July 11 auction through Peter Randall and Paul Lange from Sotheby’s Byron Bay.
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Fashion designer Jessica Johansen-Bell, star of Netflix’s Byron Baes, is trying to offload her block of land at Bangalow.
Their marketing suggests vacant blocks of land so close to the centre of Bangalow are “an extremely rare offering.
Secluded at the end of a quiet, family-friendly cul-de-sac lined with quality built homes, this 801sq m parcel presents a premium blank canvas for families, investors or developers alike.”
She had bought it at a sizeable discount on its asking price, with the block coming with a $990,000 expectation in 2022.
Jessica Johansen-Bell is set to take a loss on the property.
Johansen-Bell had plans to build a duplex on the property, which were approved at an estimated $794,000 construction cost.
She initially listed the block for resale in 2024 with $900,000 to $990,000 guidance which had been dropped to $790,000 by early 2025.
PropTrack calculated the town’s median house price peaked at $2.04m in 2022. It now sits at $1.55m after 50 sales in the past year.
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Jessica Johansen-Bell. Picture: Instagram
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Johansen-Bell runs Johansen Official, with some 166,000 Instagram followers.
Her brand gained international attention in 2018 when Kylie Jenner wore one of her dress designs.
She had established the label in 2015.
However the pair’s relationship took a turn for the worse when Johansen-Bell claimed in 2024, that Jenner “ripped off her entire collection” saying the Keeping up with the Kardashian’s star’s designs looked eerily similar to her signature designs.
“Um guys am I tripping or did Kylie Jenner just rip off my entire collection?” Ms Johansen-Bell posted to social media.
‘Eerily similar’.
“I have been dwelling on this for days now.
“My name is Jess, I own the brand Johansen and I’ve had Johansen for like 10 years now. We launched a collection so similar to the collection (Kylie) launched but we launched ours three or four years ago and it’s been our signature range ever since.”
The Lismore-born Johansen-Bell was cast in 2022 among the 14 influencers who featured in Byron Baes, which wasn’t renewed for a second season. The show faced criticism, particularly from locals, who believed it did not accurately reflect authentic Byron Bay.
(L to R) Lauren Johansen-Bell, Jessica Johansen-Bell, Jade Kevin Foster in episode 105 of Byron Baes.
+ Additional reporting James MacSmith
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