Sail in Style

© Andrea Barrack / RumBum.com

Look left immediately when you enter Strictly Sail, the wind-powered wing of the Miami International Boat Show, on the other side of the causeway at Sea Isle Marina on Bayshore Drive. Among the sailing hardware and angler headgear, you eye some familiar-looking bags. Familiar, because they've been made from recycled main sails. Look closer and you’ll see that the selection goes way beyond a simply shoulder bag: backpacks, messengers, duffels, clutches, and – get this – even shower curtains. 

Thank designer Ellie Vickers for the innovative product. She learned to sew while sewing sails in Jamaica over a decade ago. And idea struck her to make a bag from a discarded sail. Her bag became the envy of ther friends, and when she began selling them off her shoulder she knew she was onto something big. Vickers now has stores in Wrightsville Beach and Greenwich Villiage.

Sails are made from Dacron, says Current VP of National Sales, Jedd Cirigliano, a polyester so strong it can© Andrea Barrack / RumBum.com withstand the harshest winds. “[The bags] are actually what we call ‘heirloom quality,'” he said. With prices well over $100 a pop, it’s nice to know they’ll weather just about any storm you can. 

A rumor (that Cirigliano can neither confirm nor deny) suggests Vikers gets some of her sails from designer boats. But you don’t have to be in Fashion Week to get your own sail made; Vikers can help you repurpose your retired sail into a functional carrying case you can keep forever. Better than ending up in a landfill!

The bags don’t just make an eco-friendly statement, they are remarkably fashion forward. The characteristic solid white bag with thick bold numbers placed purposefully askew are a hallmark of contemporary urban chic. Vikers’ styles have been requested by big-ticket buyers from MTV and VH1 to the Sundance Festival and even Wall Street Banks. And with their ocean-durability, no doubt they are the go-to choice of the marine chic. 

Get a better look this weekend at Strictly Sail! It’ll be tough to step away without picking up this alternative to the typical Valentine’s Day flowers and candy combo for the Captain or Captain’s Wife (or anyone!) in your life.