April 29, 2022
Turks and Caicos Black-Owned Swimwear Brand Roots Designs in Island Culture
Meet bēchë (pronounced “beachy”), the Turks and Caicos-based swimwear line rooted in the owner’s proud Caribbean culture.
Cyprianna Green launched bēchë in 2016 after combining her passion for Turks and Caicos’ pristine beaches with her love for fashion. Born in the country’s capital Grand Turk, and raised between there and the island of Providenciales, Cyprianna grew up loving the beach.
Since its inception, bēchë has released three collections tailored to highlight the beauty of the island. The brand’s fourth collection is slated for release this summer.
Green credits her love for her hometown for strengthening the look and feel of her swimwear pieces.
“bēchë has definitely strengthened my patriotism to my home country,” Green told Travel Noire.
“To adequately translate our culture, I had to school myself so I could gain a deeper knowledge.”
“In my quest toward that, I fell in love with TCI and that made me grow a more intimate connection to who we are as a people and where we’ve come from.”
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While attending college in Miami, Green started modeling and attending fashion events. After experiencing Miami Swim Week, Green was convinced that swimwear was the way to go.
With eccentric pieces full of color and style for men and women, Green describes each style as a “physical love letter to Turks and Caicos.”
“Through every collection, I try to tell a story of who we are as a people, what is important to our country and what the TCI actually is,” she said.
“Far beyond the ‘sun, sand and sea’ description given to us by the masses. I feel like the more that we tell our story and demonstrate what our cultural DNA is, the more unique our country will be in comparison to others.”