Our Story
Hi! I'm Vicki, the founder and designer of sand&palm. I'm so happy you're here!
So how did all this start?
Well a little bit about my background:
I graduated from University College Falmouth in 2009 from a BA (Hons) in Illustration and honed my skills through many years working in the fashion and textiles industry as a graphics and print designer, working with a wide portfolio of international high street and active sportswear brands.
It has long been an ambition of mine to create my own brand, combining my artwork with my passion for surfing and the natural environment.
After years of travelling the globe to tropical surf destinations, I realised there was a gap in the surf and swimwear market for beautifully designed swimsuits, that fit properly and don’t go anywhere in the surf, with gorgeous prints, and that are also ethically and sustainably produced. This, as well as my experience designing for surf wear brands such as Billabong, Hurley, Saltrock, among others, was enough to help me start the journey of creating a swimwear brand that fills this gap.
Recognising the current need for a more eco-conscious approach to fashion, coupled with years of struggling to find the perfect swimsuit that stays put in the surf, sustainable swimwear seemed the perfect choice.
In order to fulfil this ambition, I relocated to Barcelona in 2017 to obtain a postgraduate degree in Swimwear and Lingerie Design at BAU School of Design. And thus, sand&palm was born!
With a focus on sustainable values, where possible I source environmentally friendly materials and production methods of the highest quality and standard. sand&palm is made with lycra made from ECONYL® regenerated nylon made from nylon waste otherwise polluting the Earth, like fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring, and industrial plastic. The garments are individually handmade in the sand&palm studio in the surf capital of Cornwall, Newquay.
Sand&palm takes a fresh approach to print design. I like to think of the fabrics as canvas for artwork and illustrations, and all designs are exclusive to the brand. Because they are individually made, no two print placement is the same, meaning each sand&palm swimsuit is completely unique.
I hope you love sand&palm as my as I love making it for you!