For Damon DeGraff, founder of The Paradise Suite, summer is more than a season. It's the inspiration behind a lifestyle brand rooted in travel, style, nostalgia and the effortless confidence of island living.

Fresh off a collaboration with Delano Miami, Mr DeGraff chatted with RG Life about Bermuda's influence on the brand, the essentials of summer style and why paradise is more of a mindset than a destination.

1. The Paradise Suite feels rooted in the idea of summer. What does summer mean to you personally?

Well, there’s summer, and then there’s a Bermuda summer. To me, summer feels free, it’s being outside, loving on your people, music, fun travels, good food, evening swims, and late nights. Growing up in Bermuda, summer wasn’t just a season; it was a lifestyle. It was how people dressed, moved, gathered, and carried themselves. That energy has always stayed with me, and in many ways, it’s the feeling I’m always trying to bring into The Paradise Suite.

2. How much of Bermuda influences the aesthetic and identity of The Paradise Suite?

Bermuda is always the foundation. My logo is the banana tree that sits outside my childhood window, the colours I use, the ease, the confidence, the mix of refinement meeting island life — that’s all from home.

3. You recently collaborated with the Delano in Miami. Why did that partnership feel like a natural fit for the brand?

Delano has always represented a certain kind of effortless luxury. It’s iconic, but it doesn’t feel forced. That made sense for The Paradise Suite. We’re both rooted in travel, style, design, and feeling. Also, Miami has always had a strong connection to island culture, so bringing Paradise into that world felt natural.

4. What are the essential pieces everyone should have in his wardrobe for a Bermuda summer?

For a Bermuda summer, you need pieces: A Bermuda Cricket Club jersey is essential. A Paradise staple bucket hat. A good short. Swim trunks you can wear all day. I also have these two-piece short sets for summer that are insane- easy, but still put together. And of course, the new TPS x Delano collab.

5. How do you define summer style today? Is it about trends, comfort, confidence or something else?

It’s confidence first. Trends come and go, but you can tell when someone feels good in what they’re wearing. Summer style should feel easy, but still intentional. Comfort matters, but it can’t look lazy sometimes. The best summer style has personality without trying too hard.

6. When you're designing or curating products for The Paradise Suite, what feeling are you trying to create?

Someone once told me I dress like I’m always on vacation, and I think that’s the feeling I’m always chasing with The Paradise Suite. It should feel like travel, music, summer, nostalgia, and luxury all meeting in one place. I want people to feel like they’ve stepped into a different state of mind, even if they’re exactly where they are.

7. When people wear The Paradise Suite, how do you hope they feel?

I want people to feel free, confident, and a little renewed. In Bermuda, summer has always felt like a new beginning. There’s a rhythm to it, the island opens up, people start gathering again, getting back in the water, dressing differently, moving differently. That feeling is a big part of The Paradise Suite. When people wear the brand, I want them to feel like they’re carrying that energy with them. Paradise isn’t just a place to me, it’s a state of mind.