From where did your passion for elephants stem?
I’ve had a love for animals, in particular elephants, my whole life. I remember how amazed I was when I saw them for the first time as a child in South Africa, where my father grew up. The passion was put into action when I started Love Brand & Co. in 2011, a swimwear brand with a loving ethos dedicated to helping save elephants from the brink of extinction.
Do you think that designers have a social responsibility?
I think gone are the days where designers can just make a product, per se. Today, consumers want to know more about how and why the product was made. For me, good design is thoughtful, socially responsible, personal and with purpose.
Supporting 3 charities (Tusk Trust, DSWT, Elephant Family) why did you choose these ones in particular?
The charities we work with and the projects we support are very close to our hearts. My wife, Rose, had visited the David Sheldrick elephant nursery many times, Tusk Trust was introduced to me by a friend, and I discovered Elephant Family in 2010, when they exhibited the painted elephants in London. This was the charity initiative that made me first aware of how seriously endangered elephants are. To my horror, they could be extinct within the next 25 years. Elephants and endangered species need help, now more than ever. We were motivated to donate 5% of Love Brand & Co. revenue to help save elephants and endangered species from extinction.
With the Chinese market pledging to end all domestic ivory sales by the end of this year, what are your thoughts on the current ivory situation and do you predict any more improvements in the future?
Yes, this is a huge step in the right direction. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go though. The illegal trade of ivory is such a global issue and it will take a lot more international focus to stop it for good. Some believe animals like elephants are a lost cause, but for me there is hope for elephants, rhinos and all the animals on the endangered species list. People’s attitudes to wildlife are changing, both the communities living with the wildlife and the communities historically buying the ivory and other animal parts.
We love the latest Fable collection. What’s your favourite piece and why?
We love these prints with their extra layer of narrative, being inspired by old fables. My favourite is probably ‘The Jay and the Peacock’. Red is often underrated as a swimwear colour and I love the moral of this story.
One day, a jay entered a yard where peacocks roamed. The jay tied some beautiful peacock plumes into his own tail to impress the peacocks, but the peacocks answered by saying that it takes more than just having pretty feathers to make a fine bird…
You have a range of swimwear for both adults and children, how important is family travel for you?
Having grown up in a family who had to move around a lot, I think travel is embedded in me. To be able to show your children the world and opens their eyes is a huge gift. My wife and I just had our first baby, so I hope we can also take our new family to lots of interesting places soon and explore the world together.
Is there a continent to which you will always return?
Africa is somewhere that never leaves you, once you’ve been. It will always be an important place to me and my family.
You often visit Kenya. As a regular visitor, what would you recommend to do that is off the beaten track?
I would suggest Lewa Wilderness, which is one of Kenya’s original bush homes, located in the breathtakingly beautiful Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya‘s Meru County. It is home to a lot of conservation projects we support through our charity partner, Tusk Trust. It is impossible not to be captivated by Lewa’s extraordinary scenery, its fascinating history and wonderfully diverse wildlife.
Your sister shop is a charming beach shack style store on one of our favourite beaches in Barbados, Alleynes Bay. Why in your opinion was this the best spot?
The Love Brand Beach Shack is a tiny simple shed full of our swimming trunks, right on the beach – it’s wonderful. The beach has become a popular destination due to its beautiful white sand and calm blue waters, which are ideal for swimming. It’s also perfectly situated next to Starfish Boutique and JuJu’s Bar, which is a local favourite and a must visit for a rum punch sundowner. So, as you can imagine, when the opportunity to open here came about I leapt at it!
Favourite local and top notch restaurant in Barbados?
The Lone Star is a firm favourite of mine. Have a flying fish burger and take a few paces down the beach to the Love Brand Beach Shack.
Your brand is inspired by your love for elephants – can you describe a particular day that stayed in your memory?
Perhaps a particularly memorable day was when Rose and I visited the elephant corridors in Kerala, India, back when we first started Love Brand & Co. I remember this day well because it was such a remote and unspoilt place and although we did not get to see any wild elephants in the forest, it was a great adventure. It’s days like these that motivate us to do what we can to help protect the wild and all the animals that call it home.
Congratulations to Oliver who has just opened his second Love Brand store in Westbourne Grove.