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| A model in bikini from the Flagship collection |
“Let me show you
something,” she says walking up to a window overlooking the
turquoise waters and white sand of Chalk Sound National Park.
The scene is
picturesque. Born and raised on the small island nation, the
34-year-old says Bēchë
is more than just a swimwear brand, but a platform to show the world
what Turks & Caicos is really about. Turks & Caicos is known
for its sun, sand and sea, but Jackson says the popular vacation
destination offers so much more.
“I enjoy the
storytelling element of it. We tell a story with every collection,”
she says referencing the Bēchë
website. “We’re
more than just selling swimwear we’re very purposeful.”
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| A model in a bikini from the Maskanoo collection |
The size inclusive
swimsuits are made in vibrant hues of magenta, blue, tangerine,
white, yellow and pink, ranging from one piece swimsuits to body
complimenting bikinis. Jackson works with a local artist to create a
piece of artwork that becomes the theme, or core of the palette, for
each collection. The Flagship collection features the coat of arms of
the Turks & Caicos flag turned into a flower. The print also
includes the flamingo, cactus, lobster and other imagery of the
island resulting in a collection with a sea blue and salmon color
palette. The Maskanoo collection is made with a bright red and yellow
color palette featuring a custom print by Candia Ewing, a local Turks
& Caicos pop artists whose paintings are inspired by the people
of the island. The Maskanoo is the country’s largest cultural event
held on Boxing Day that integrates both Junkanoo and traditional
Massin', a
celebration
of slave heritage,
into the festivities.
“We’re at a
beautiful place right now, but we have so much more growing to do in
the space of expression of culture and self-love,” she explains.
“We’re a multi-cultural country because we had a lot of different
cultures infuse into the space, but we can forget who are. We have a
bold personality that needs to come to the surface like the Bermudian
culture, and even way back pre-Columbus like the Taino.”
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| A model wearing a full piece suit from the Flagship collection |
Each piece is a
reflection of the colorful journey, that has formed the character of
the island for centuries. Her favorite collection is the reef
collection, an assortment of swimsuits made from recycled ocean waste
turned into nylon yarns. Jackson decided to produce the Reef
collection to help fight against Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease or
(SCTLD), a coral disease that causes rapid tissue death and can
destroy entire reef systems. The disease exists in other tropical
locales and was identified in Turks & Caicos in 2019, an island
with one of largest barrier reefs in the world. The procedure
involves injecting the reefs with antibiotics and Jackson wanted the
initiative to gain exposure, so she donates 10% of the Reef
collection profit to help fight against SCTLD.
Telling the story of
how climate change affects Turks & Caicos, is one part of a
larger goal. It wasn’t until, Jackson was on a departure flight
that a tourist inquired about the official language of Turk &
Caicos - which is English - that she realized somewhere along the way
the opportunity to introduce visitors to the culture beyond the beach
was missed. So with intention, Jackson choose to tell the story
through a curated line of swimwear that opens the doors for dialogue.
This is the first
time Bēchë
has been sold at a
major department store in the US, and Jackson says she’s learned so
much. An accountant by trade, the Jackson has always wanted to be in
the fashion industry. Launching Bēchë
in 2019 fulfilled
her dreams and in the beginning she positioned her swimwear in hotels
on the island. Now as she looks out on the horizon, Jackson says her
participation in the Bloomingdale’s Retail Incubator in partnership with Atlanta Fashion Week, a
program that prioritizes in store sales, is setting her up to expand
by equipping the entrepreneur with knowledge about big box retail.
“It has been so
much growth and learning going through the bar code process and the
security aspect,” she says, “It’s the fine tuning of everything
coming together and building a machine that is preparing us for more
business to business relationships.”
The Retail Incubator
program has also given Bēchë
more
exposure enabling Jackson to serve as an unofficial ambassador to
Turks & Caicos. Jackson smiles because it’s an exciting time as
the swimwear designer talks about a new collection she’s planning
inspired by the salt industry that was once the primary source of
revenue for Turks & Caicos.
“It raises
awareness to the brand and it’s a conversation starter,” Jackson
says. “I can share who we are by reaching a broader audience.”