A fashionable paradise awaits inside the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale.
Mix tropical music, a rum bar, live plants and linen together, and you get the brainchild of founder and creative director Spencer Antle. Island Company, a lifestyle brand for women and men, is where the beachgoer comes for the clothing and stays for the drink.
A Traveler’s Tale
When Antle’s girlfriend at the time needed a bikini for an upcoming Caribbean trip, he took it upon himself to design her some as they were both dissatisfied with the options available. He eventually began to sell the suits from his car while driving up and down the coast. And after the success of those first 13 bikinis, Island Company grew into a global resort wear brand, which now boasts three brick-and-mortar stores in Florida. Additional locations span to Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Grand Cayman, with two new stores set to open on Harbour Island in the Bahamas.
Retail Escape
A step inside Island Company takes you beyond typical retail. With a background in film, Antle takes the creativity of a movie set and reflects it in each store location.
“When you walk into Island Company for the first time, it should feel like that first visit to the exotic hotel. You should stop for a second and have to take it all in,” Antle says.
Passing a parked white Land Rover and Yamaha bike inside the Ritz-Carlton store, visitors find the true star of the brand: travel apparel. Made from the finest quality linen and cotton, the pieces are ideal for transitioning from a day at the beach to a dinner by the water. The styles are classic—never trend driven—and are made for a great fit.
Island Company sells tanks and graphic T-shirts with the iconic tagline: “Quit Your Job. Buy A Ticket. Get A Tan. Fall In Love. Never Return,” which Antle coined from his interest in escapism and a deep love for travel.
Bright colors and nautical stripes mingle on beach cover-ups, long-sleeved shirts and board shorts among other merchandise. There’s something to cover every traveler’s needs—Italian-made sunglasses, beach sheets, handmade jewelry with details of fish and seashells, and even soy candles. Plus, Island Company offers its own line of scented sun care to stay protected while smelling like a “local” or an “islander.”
And if the airy vibe paired with quality merchandise isn’t enough, there’s always the rum bar. Guests are invited to hang out while sipping on exclusive Island Company rum for a happy hour “Rumosa” to complete the experience. A slice of rum cake will soon accompany the beverage. At Island Company it’s all about escaping, traveling and living life to the fullest.
Island Company, 1 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale / 954.237.7227 / islandcompany.com
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