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Inside Look at Cabana Life's Design Process

Inside Look at Cabana Life's Design Process

Welcome to print paradise! Cabana Life styles are designed in Florida for sunshine everywhere.

We strive to make every day feel like a getaway, our one-of-a-kind prints combine paradise-inspired palettes with eye-catching patterns. 


Sun safety doesn’t have to be boring OR complicated! The vibrant colors & preppy patterns of our collections allow you to easily incorporate stylish sun protection as part of your routine. We design pieces you & your family actually want to wear while you enjoy the sun, from everyday activities to your next vacation. 


Behind The Prints 

Shocked by her melanoma diagnosis at age 26, Cabana Life Founder, Melissa, started learning more about sun protection. Surprised by the lack of protection in your everyday clothing, Melissa took an interest in sun safe fashion… Disappointed by the lack of creativity and fun she later set out to start her own brand. 


“After learning sun protection didn’t have to be ugly, I set out to create a signature Cabana Life look. What better way to stand out than in gorgeous prints?” - Melissa


Led by a passion for stylish sun protection, Cabana Life designs limited-edition prints with a purpose for every season. Have your eye on one you love? Get it before it’s gone for good. Shop new arrivals to discover our latest prints & say goodbye to beloved styles in our sale section


Print Inspiration 

At the beginning of designing a new collection, our design team pulls together an inspiration board of our dream destinations, the latest trends and, of course, customer suggestions. Our designers are located all over the country and work closely with Melissa to create prints for a variety of seasons and styles. Get ready for new styles to add to your Cabana Life collection! 

Woman on beach holding white cabana in Lake Como Cabana Shift Dress.

Resort Collections 

Inspired by tropical destinations, our Resort Collections turn everyday life into a vacation. The beautiful prints & flattering fits allow you to always look and feel your best. In 2020, we launched our Aruba Blues & St. Barts prints as a part of our Resort Collection. Stay tuned, new styles will be added with these prints soon. 

A woman with blonde hair standing outside at a resort wearing the Provence Sleeveless Shift Dress with her hand in her pocket. 

Spring Collections 

Just in time for spring break, we start launching our Spring Collection, which are full of new, original prints. Our team incorporates many patterns & color palettes to create unique prints that suit a variety of styles. We will be releasing new prints from our Spring Collection about every month – who’s excited?!

 

Sport Collections 

We've continued to add more athletic styles to keep you safe while on the course, court, country club or even just running errands. Our Sport Collection includes a variety of fabrics that are all lightweight, breathable and UPF 50+, of course. Keep an eye out for some very exciting releases this fall! Subscribe to our emails at the bottom left corner of our site or make a Cabana Life account and start earning rewards today. You can also stay updated on the latest Cabana Life new by following us on Instagram and Facebook.

Woman wearing Kiawah Smocked Babydoll Dress

Fall Collections 

After the amazing feedback we received on our first Fall Collection in 2019, we released our second round of fall dresses in 2020. Unlike the typical bright & summery colors we always love, we strategically chose darker palettes for this collection so it seamlessly transitions into the fall & winter season. Perfect for cooler temps, these dresses are made with luxurious heavier-weight fabrics to keep you cool & sun safe. 

Brunette with curly hair holding tassel of Navy Stripe Hooded Cover Up in front of marina.

Essentials Collection

Our tried & true! Our Essentials Collection is filled with solids & stripes in our signature colors: coral, mint, turquoise & navy. Unlike our other seasonal collections that come and go, our Essentials Collection is a staple that we keep for years to come. Every year we freshen it up with new silhouettes & styles as we say goodbye to just a few pieces in the collection. 

Cabana Life x Talbots Collection with Cabana Life Founder Melissa Papock holding up Talbots magazine feature

Exclusive Collections

We are honored to have worked on exclusive collections with many brands throughout the years, including West Marine, Talbots & more. These pinch-me moments are so exciting to us as a brand, and personally! It's an honor to help more people find stylish sun protection through these collaborations.

We work closely with various departments on our team and the partner's to bring their ideas to life while staying true to the Cabana Life signature look AND feel. As always, these collections were made with UPF 50+ fabrics! 

Design Process 

Together, Melissa & our print designers spend countless hours bringing each original print from sketches to the final product. From choosing Pantone colors to creating new silhouettes and bodies, the design team works tirelessly to create a fashionable & functional collection. 


Our design team isn’t the only one to join in on the fun... We turn every print decision into a party! Our customer support & marketing team, located in the Jacksonville Beach, Florida office often weigh in on their favorites and what they think our customers will love. Usually, any available surface is covered in swatches & pieces to approve. Even tassels and embroidery need to be reviewed multiple times before the product goes into production. 


After swatches, colors and all the other details are somewhat finalized, our team is delivered samples to review. The Jacksonville Beach office then puts on a fashion show to see how each piece fits. We all look at the colors, length, size, neckline and so much more. Edits go back and forth between our team and the factories until the final decision is made and production (yes, finally!) starts. 

As you can see, there’s a story behind every print! Each design, and all decisions that come along with it, has a purpose. Our collections take at least 6 months to create from the initial brainstorming. Not to mention, it can take weeks to ship our collections to our warehouse so you can start shopping them on our site and at our retailers across the country. Our design team is already hard at work creating new prints for 2022 – can you believe it?!

Woman wearing Coral Geo Off The Shoulder Dress

Cabana Life prints are designed to make every day feel like a vacation. Escape with dreamy prints & palettes released every season. Shop new arrivals for our latest collections. Catch compliments, not rays with our Cabana Life original prints!