Escape Essentials – Island Company

Rising with the sun and a mix of nervous and excited energy, a feeling familiar to that of an Escapist, I riffle through my straw beach bag – or what I like to call my briefcase – and quickly let out a sigh of relief when my hand rests on my passport. Suffering from island fever brought on by the relentless wrath of Hurricane Sandy, who has kept me indoors for four long days, I am eager to be bound for West Palm Beach, Florida. There I plan to spend the day immersing myself in the Island Company brand, a lifestyle brand which will surely compliment the already carefully curated selection of merchandise set to be carried in The 700 Experience Boutique at the Hope Town Lodge in Abaco later this year.

I arrive to be greeted by Chelsea Renn – Brand Ambassador and former resident of Abaco – naturally we are quick to become friends. On the drive, as though seaside chatting, we swap stories of days spent in Abaco, the boat building capital of the Bahamas and she jokes that her dear friend was conceived at Pete’s Pub – if you’ve been to the seaside bar and restaurant in Little Harbour you can imagine the belly aching laughter that ensued.

In little time we enter the doors to what is often called an “office playground” – here the energy is palpable and liken to that of a beach bar, the pace on the increase, although cocktails aren’t the culprit. Actually I would be quick to tip my glass to Spencer Antle, a modern day Ernest Hemmingway who also wears the hat of Creative Director of Island Company – a weathered iconic Mount Gay Rum cap in fact, one I imagine Antle rarely takes off. Whether flying his two-seater Super Drifter seaplane to a far flung corner of the Caribbean or opening a new store – his latest slated to open December 7th on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach – he’s a man always on the go. An Island Connoisseur in his own right, Antle established the lifestyle brand in 2002 when he and then girlfriend designed thirteen bikinis and sold them from the boot of his car. His brand however caught my attention after he took the few lines he had jotted down on a cocktail napkin – what is now known as the Island Company mantra – and had it printed on a t-shirt.  Later seen being worn by the likes of the Johnny Depp, pirates are abound when it comes to this brand,  the t-shirt incites “Quit your job, buy a ticket, get a tan, fall in love, never return.” Tempting, I know.

Since that day 10 years ago he along with his dynamic team have gone on to create women and men’s apparel fit for the greatest Caribbean escape and as you guessed it, the line is brimming with Escape Essentials. As always though, seeing is believing – here are some of my top picks from the 2013 Women’s Collection.