Taylor-Jane; A Swimwear Designer from Africa

Tay-Bay Swimwear

Inspired by her own personal journey Tay-Bay swimwear is a luxurious and seriously sexy brand ethically sourced and manufactured in Mauritius by its owner and designer Taylor-Jane Bennett.

Established in December 2020, the swimwear is made from material created from ‘Ghost-nets’, fishing nets that are discarded abandoned and drifting in the seas and oceans, Taylor has found a unique method to recycle waste that would otherwise endanger the lives of our sea life, including dolphins, sharks, turtles.

The journey begins in Africa, a continent that is both beautiful and wild with vast open plains, rugged coastlines along with an abundance of diverse wildlife. But, for many unfortunately, bad news makes headline news when the image of this magnificent continent becomes tainted. For others Africa is often a honeymoon or once in a lifetime holiday destination staying in luxury game lodges, balloon rides over the Masai Mara followed by a few nights relaxing on the pristine white sands of the many beaches that surround this land mass. The more adventurous envisage following in the footsteps of Allan Quartermaine in H Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mine or hoping to see the big six game animals or visit conservation reserves inspired by the film Born Free.

More importantly for others like Taylor Africa is her life. Born in Zimbabwe in 1995 to a ‘nomadic’ family Taylor found herself moving to Zambia at an early age, Cape Town for her education before obtaining a BA in Humanities Psychology and Sociology at Stellenbosch University. Although on completing her education she found herself super-yachting in the Mediterranean in 2016, where swimwear was much in evidence, this proved to be merely a short diversion and a means to an end saving up an investment that would enable her to follow her future calling and chosen path in Mauritius: after once again following her parents here as Covid struck.

The nomadic lifestyle of the family business, Camp Amalinda, Ivory Lodge, Khulu Bush Camp, Sable Valley, Star of Africa, Migration Air, Africa Under Canvas and Wilderness Safaris, meant that Taylor spent an envious amount of time in safari lodges including in Matobo Hills, Hwange, Victoria Falls, Busanga Plains, South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, Namibia and Botswana.

“I feel humbled and privileged that my family gave me these unique playgrounds on school holidays and weekends: providing me with an awesome insight into the vast array of fauna and flora that surrounded me. It was also this upbringing that helped open my eyes on my return from the Mediterranean a world where the ‘throw-away’ culture of some has a direct and detrimental impact on others many miles away.”

Covid and lockdown provided an opportune moment for Taylor to reflect on her life and what the future would hold.

“I have seen first hand the horrifying human impact on our innocent wildlife through this culture, but also through poaching, orphaned elephants and lions, dead rhinos killed for their horns, to the suffocating of our sea life through plastic bags and discarded nets. I may have taken some of my early life for granted but now I am determined to find a way that I can make a positive difference. I am on a journey!

“All things happen for a reason and my parents relocating to Mauritius at a time of Covid has been a Godsend. Apart from being a paradise island Mauritius is very accommodating place to invest and run your business: with the people being extremely kind and helpful. The material is currently imported from Italy, but in time I would like everything to be from here.”

Taylor has a passion for fashion that is reflected in the designs of her swimwear: both comfortable edgy and extremely sexy, but also and most importantly created with enthusiasm passion and concern for the health of our planet.

by Andrew Marshell – Freelance Journalist UK