ISLAND in the SUN
t’s the warm spirit of the locals, the colours, the music, or maybe, it was the weed. But two weeks in the laidback chaos of Jamaica left me both completely relaxed and exhilarated – and promising to make my way back to the Caribbean idyll. Its rich musical roots are what connects it to most Kiwis, with many of us growing up listening to, or hearing our rellies listen to, old-school reggae/Bob Marley. Jamaica continues to hold a unique charm in style circles: a glamorous getaway for the jet set of the ‘50s and ‘60s, recently a hipper set, including model Bella Hadid, British fashion editor-at-large Julia Sarr-Jamois, Brother Vellies accessory designer Aurora James and musician Solange, have holidayed on the island. Designer Ralph Lauren famously has a villa within the luxury Round Hill resort, his spring 2018 collection an ode to his here, and recently, Kanye held his Sunday Service concerts in the capital, Kingston. Meanwhile, Rihanna, the ultimate arbiter of cool, has been working on a reggae-inspired album.
