Guess has unveiled ‘Guess Island’, a private island takeover off the coast of Zanzibar.

The brand has reportedly transformed selected areas of Bawe Island into a branded destination experience running from May to August 2026.

The activation builds on Guess’ established beach club partnerships in destinations including Ibiza, Mykonos, Taormina, Forte dei Marmi, Turkey and Dubai.

Bawe Island, part of The Cocoon Collection, spans more than 30 hectares and is home to 70 private villas. Guess said the takeover marks the first time a fashion label has staged an activation of this scale on a private island.

The project was designed to extend the brand beyond traditional fashion marketing and into a luxury travel and lifestyle setting.

Rather than focusing on overt branding, Guess said the island has been shaped as an immersive environment where its lifestyle codes are woven through the guest experience, from arrival through to social, leisure and private spaces.

The visual identity draws on Zanzibar’s natural landscape, with ‘mocha tones’ used across beach areas and deep greens at the poolside.

Guess also created an island-specific pattern for the project, while selected details incorporate local craftsmanship.

Guess co-founder and chief creative officer Paul Marciano said: “With Guess Island, we wanted to create more than a presence, we wanted to create a feeling.

“Through design, atmosphere and emotion, the project allowed us to express the Guess lifestyle in a completely new way.

“Experiencing Guess on a private island is about freedom, sensuality and escape, values that have always been part of our brand.

“Bawe Island offered the perfect setting to bring this vision to life, introducing a new category where fashion, travel and lifestyle meet.”

The move follows a growing push from fashion and luxury brands to extend their presence into hospitality, travel and experience-led retail, as labels look to create deeper consumer engagement beyond stores and campaigns.

Guess said its beach club portfolio has allowed it to create bespoke patterns and colour palettes tied to individual destinations.

Its existing seasonal partners include Blue Marlin in Ibiza, Kalua Beach Club in Mykonos, Ipanema Beach Club in Taormina, Bagno La Fenice in Forte dei Marmi, Yuzu Beach in Turkey and Eva Beach Club in Dubai.

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