Club Monaco

James Andrew at David Hicks' Savannah.

David Hicks’ concept of Savannah was far from the usual colonial fare so prevalent throughout the Bahamas. In fact a first encounter with Savannah was, and still is, a bit shocking. But of course, being the brainchild of David Hicks, it actually makes perfect sense that he drew upon the Egyptian aesthetic for his fantasy Bahamian retreat - the sun, the sand, and palms all lend a shared context that make Savannah perfectly at home on Windermere Island.

And then there is the interior - Hicks’ interior is typically hyper stylized with a signature sophisticated look, yet through his highly considered choice of local materials and finish, Hicks makes sure we never lose a sense of place. All the interior walls and floors were constructed from a rusticated mixture of local pink sand, cement, and marble dust. The ceilings by contrast are highly polished with almost a lacquered appearance, lending them a certain weightless quality - this buoyant effect is further enhanced by a painted black gap between the walls and ceiling. Floor to ceiling windows accentuate the vertical and were made to slide into the walls, inviting an easy interplay between interior and exterior. Two scroll top pictures specially painted by the artist Bruce Tippet in a vibrant Caribbean palette anchor the seating areas in the living room - the rest of the artwork at Savannah is by David Hicks himself as well as by Ashley and India Hicks.

Following the ravages of Hurricane Floyd, India Hicks lovingly undertook some much needed renovations to Savannah. But “there was no improving on the master,” she tells us, so thankfully virtually everything has been restored to its original specifications.

While a visit to Savannah is primarily reserved for family and friends, it is available for a week or two on occasion for those seeking a truly unique experience. Are your bags packed already?

I’m pictured (above) enjoying the super chic living room at Savannah. Dressed in homage to the master I’m sporting a white linen jacket by Gucci, pale blue Glen plaid cotton French cuff shirt by Tom Ford, Seaman Schepps silver pearl and pale blue sapphire cuff links, shocking pink cotton jean cut pants by Dior, yellow ribbon belt by Club Monaco, yellow and white silk retro print pocket square by Charvet Paris, white leather Gucci loafers, and my fragrance is Royal Water by Creed - Incidentally Creed’s fragrance Royal Water was created for the young house of Windsor, and as chance would have it Prince Charles and Lady Diana spent time at Savannah on their honeymoon in the summer of 1981!