Life is all about taking chances. That is certainly a lesson that has been learned by business partners Adam Petty, 28, and Sam Outerbridge, 26.

They left secure jobs to start a luxury men’s apparel company, Coral Coast Clothing, last May.

So far, the gamble is paying off.

“It was nerve-racking at first,” said Mr Petty. “We were both in reinsurance before and you get used to the monthly pay cheque coming in and working every day nine to five. Hopping out of that gets hard.

“But we came up with the idea for Coral Coast and felt we could make a difference and really promote Bermuda.”

The pair came up with the idea a couple of years ago. They wanted to create a quality product that would compete with big brand names from around the world.

“In an economic recession investing in the Island is the only way forward,” Mr Outerbridge said. “We had tons of ideas for different things and decided on a men’s clothing line.”

They weren’t immediately sure how other people would respond to their designs but the pieces sold out within the first few months.

“We thought the first order would last us much longer,” Mr Outerbridge said.

“Naturally, as a new label in a place where brands are so prevalent, and where you only really have a few options of clothes, it’s hard to change the mindset of people.

“So it was a huge risk, but the response was incredible, with a lot of people buying and wanting them.”

Their signature piece is a men’s button-up shirt in corals, bright blues and crisp whites — the colours all pay homage to the Island’s vibrant hues. “But we try to make sure the colours aren’t too ridiculous or in your face,” Mr Outerbridge said.

“For us it’s the little things that might not get picked up immediately by the eye. Even the buttons have our logo, Coral Coast Bermuda, on it.

“We offer them in the Bermuda blue ocean and classic ivory colours.”

Growing up, the young men were always interested in fashion.

Mr Petty remembers how important it was for him to go into town to pick out a stylish new outfit to wear at school on grub days or at community events.

“Bermuda is so small and you are always bumping into people,” he said. “People here seem to care more about how they dress and grow up naturally with this feeling they are always being watched, so dress well.

“I appreciate a modern, classic look with a burst of colour [but] generally speaking, I find Bermudians’ style to be pretty timeless, so we wanted to keep that effect so that nothing we design will go out of style.”

He believes it is now more common to see men taking pride in their dress no matter where they live.

“The world is becoming a more competitive place and people are trying to set themselves apart from the rest with their fashion,” he said.

“Ten years ago, when men cared about how they dressed they were labelled a ‘metrosexual’, but it’s more common now across the globe to see men prioritising how they dress.”

Coral Coast Clothing is available at Regali Boutique at Tucker’s Point.

Alternatively, log on to www.coralcoastclothing.com