By now, the Palm Heights hotel in Grand Cayman has probably secured its place at the top of most people’s travel lists. Well known not only for its coveted location on the Caribbean island’s Seven Mile Beach, but for its novel cultural programming, which sees some of the world’s most inspiring creatives take up residencies at the hotel, redefining the idea of hospitality since it officially opened in November 2021. With a multidisciplinary roster overseen by founder and creative director Gabriella Khalil, the hotel has become a hub of cultural exchange between the worlds of design, art, food and music. This collaborative, community-driven spirit now extends to the hotel’s new beachwear partnership with Marrakshi Life, the Marrakesh-based fashion label known for reinterpreting traditional Moroccan garments for a gender-free wardrobe.
‘I have long been a fan of Marrakshi Life, who have a particularly refined interpretation of craftsmanship and comfort,’ says Khalil, who previously worked with the New York-based label Bode to create the hotel’s staff uniforms. ‘There is an easy glamour to all of their pieces, which perfectly aligns with the spirit of Palm Heights.’
United by a shared passion for preservation, Marrakshi Life and Palm Heights have come together on a keepsake line of beachwear that honours traditional craft and weaving techniques on one hand, and Caribbean beach culture on the other. While Marrakshi Life typically draws inspiration from the Moroccan landscape in its colourways, for this occasion, founder Randall Bachner looked to the mainstays of the hotel, ranging from striped beach towels, bright yellow beach umbrellas and local flora to inform the collaborative range.
‘This was an incredibly organic experience, which started off virtual, but when we finally made it to Palm Heights, it was ironic to see just how well we understood the property before visiting,’ he says. ‘The colours we chose to work with were all visually represented at the hotel.’
The unisex capsule range includes a Nero-collar kaftan and oversized sunhat, boasting hues drawn from the locale, along with refreshed guest bathrobes in camel and ecru stripes. Modelled in these images by some of the hotel’s past guests, boxers Richard Riakporhe and Ramla Ali and ballet dancer Gabe Stone Shayer, the pieces will keep the holiday feeling going long after you’ve returned.
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