Cancer was the absolute last thing on my mind at 26 years old, living and working in NYC. During a routine skin check, I pointed out a few spots that concerned me and was shocked to discover I had melanoma. One ugly realization came after the next when I learned that my regular lightweight clothing wasn’t protecting me as much as I thought- approximately SPF 7, and that I needed to wear something special called "sun protective clothing." I soon discovered the lack of UPF 50+ options conducive to my lifestyle working in fashion at Seventeen, Vanity Fair & other magazines. I saw this opportunity to make something beautiful & meaningful with UV protective clothing & started Cabana Life! If 1 in 5 Americans gets some form of skin cancer, I figured I couldn’t be the only person in search of stylish sun protection. 

Melissa shared her story and idea for Cabana Life with me one day while we were working together at Vanity Fair. It immediately resonated with me as both my mother-in-law and grandmother were battling skin cancer at the time, and sadly, both succumbed to it. Like so many of our peers, I spent several summers "tanning" in the sun as a lifeguard and knew we needed to change the way we approach sun protection. Fueled by plenty of laughs, an entrepreneurial spirit and decaf coffee, we are passionate about educating our customers and providing a stylish solution.