Bridget Sandals steps into new flagship store on Hope Road

The Kingston and St Andrew fashion scene marked a major milestone on Wednesday, when Bridget Sandals, one of Jamaica’s most beloved and iconic footwear brands, unveiled its long-awaited flagship store at 90 Hope Road. The celebration was a stylish affair, attended by brand loyalists, curious onlookers, and familiar faces from across the island. All were eager to witness the next chapter of a brand synonymous with Jamaican craftsmanship, authenticity, style, and luxury.

The store’s opening represented the evolution of a homegrown brand that has carried Jamaican pride and artistry on the soles of countless feet for decades. At the heart of it all is Bridget Brown, the woman who turned a simple craft into a Jamaican legacy. Known for her humility and dislike for the spotlight, Brown prefers to let her work speak for itself. Yet, in a rare and intimate exchange at the launch, she explained her philosophy.

“My mother taught me about humility,” she said simply, when asked why she chooses to shy away from the limelight despite her massive influence on local fashion.

When asked how she keeps up with the ever-changing fashion industry, her response mirrored her personality – authentic, intuitive, and unapologetically original. “I am not in competition with nobody, I go with divine spirit, with my intuition. Everything I do is [from] inspiration, and I lead by my intuition. I do not follow fashion trends,” Brown explained.

In a global industry often dictated by trends and seasonal palettes, she remains grounded in Jamaica’s vibrant reality. “I’m in a tropical environment, my society is colourful. We are all black people. We work with a lot of colour, so I work with all the colours.”

Working alongside Brown is her son, Jonathan Buchanan, who has become a driving force behind the brand’s growth and its bold new ventures. He explained that the decision to open the flagship store was a carefully calculated one.

“Everything Bridget does is strictly and strategically planned,” Buchanan said. “Our first plan for expansion was expanding our factory so we could meet the demand of our clients. The plan was to continue to grow the factory and be able to increase production. Now that we’ve reached that nice, comfortable capacity, then we decided it was time indeed to move the store,” he said.

But the new store isn’t the only surprise. For the first time in the brand’s history, Bridget Sandals has launched a men’s line, filling what Buchanan described as a long-standing gap.

“Sandals are not a woman-only product. It is a unisex product. We decided that we’ve been around for many, many years, and we’ve neglected the men outright. Bridget actually has four boys, and it’s unfair that we don’t get to have something too,” he joked. “So she decided to let us in on some of the fun. And here we are, many years later, launching the men’s line.”

The men’s collection doesn’t stop at sandals either – it features sneakers, belts, and wallets. Bridget also carries the Gianni Chiarini travel bags, making it a full lifestyle line for men.

Buchanan shared the brand’s ambitious vision for the future, including regional and international expansion. “The brand has grown significantly over the years. Our plan is to keep and continue growing. We have big dreams for this, our first flagship store. We eventually hope to open many more – whether in Jamaica itself or regionally, and definitely maybe in Europe as well,” he said. The Hope Road property itself promises more to come, with a café slated to open in October, Buchanan teased.

When asked to reflect on his mother’s influence, Buchanan could hardly find the words to express how he truly felt. “There are not enough words to express how I feel about her. How the whole entire Jamaica, especially how the females feel about her. What she has done to change fashion, the way women feel about themselves – their confidence. It’s life-changing. Mom, I love you. Jamaica loves you. And now the men are going to love you, too,” he said, laughing.

After nearly four decades in business, and seven years in preparation for this flagship move, Bridget Sandals continues to prove that authenticity, family, and vision are always in style.

o’brian.wynter@gleanerjm.com