Aroha Beach Club didn\u2019t begin with a business plan or a product range. It began with the sea \u2014 and with a shared feeling that some places, moments and connections stay with you long after you leave them.<\/p>
We\u2019re Ollie and Lauren, partners in life and in Aroha Beach Club. This is the story of how our love for travel, coastlines and community came together to create a brand rooted in the spirit of aroha<\/em> \u2014 love, compassion and connection.<\/p> Ollie: A Love of the Sea and the Wider World<\/strong><\/p> I grew up in Yorkshire, a place where rugged landscapes meet big skies and where the sea always feels close, even when it\u2019s out of sight. Some of my earliest inspirations came from my grandad, whose stories of serving in the Navy sparked a fascination with adventure, distant shores and life lived beyond the horizon.<\/p> Family trips to the Yorkshire coastline \u2014 Whitby, Sandsend, Saltburn and Robin Hood\u2019s Bay \u2014 helped cement that connection. There\u2019s something timeless about those places: the smell of salt in the air, the changing moods of the sea, and the feeling that nature is always in charge.<\/p> My first overseas adventure came very early, aged just four, visiting family in Brazil. While memories blur at that age, the sensory impressions never left me \u2014 the smell of grilled fish, the sharp freshness of lime, music drifting through warm air. That early experience ignited a lifelong passion for travel and a deep appreciation for food, culture and scenery in all its forms \u2014 whether coastal, mountainous or wide open savannah.<\/p> In the early 2000s, I travelled to Australia, exploring much of the classic east coast. It was my first real taste of long-term travel and reinforced the idea that the world is best understood by experiencing it firsthand.<\/p> On returning to the UK, I found my way into the travel industry, selling the dream of worldwide adventure to others \u2014 a job that allowed me to continue travelling myself. Through work and curiosity, I was fortunate to explore Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and North and South America. Each place added another layer to my understanding of how people live, connect and relate to the natural world.<\/p> Lauren: Finding Aroha in New Zealand<\/strong><\/p> Lauren grew up in Surrey before heading to college, but it was her move to New Zealand that truly shaped her outlook on life. Spending several years living, studying and working in the Auckland area, she experienced New Zealand not as a visitor, but as part of everyday life.<\/p> That immersion gave her a deep appreciation for the country\u2019s natural beauty \u2014 its coastlines, forests and volcanic landscapes \u2014 as well as its culture and values. Central to that experience was exposure to M\u0101ori culture and the concept of aroha<\/em>: a word that goes far beyond simple translation, encompassing love, empathy, respect and shared humanity.<\/p> After returning to the UK, Lauren saved up to travel again, journeying through South East Asia, Australia, more of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. These travels reinforced her connection to the ocean and to cultures that value balance, community and respect for nature.<\/p> Like me, Lauren eventually found her way into the travel industry. Starting in sales, she later moved into product design and management, specialising in adventure travel to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Her work focused on creating meaningful journeys \u2014 not just holidays, but experiences that leave a lasting impression.<\/p> Where Our Paths Met<\/strong><\/p> Despite our similar paths, we didn\u2019t meet in the UK or through work back home. Instead, we met in Rotorua, New Zealand, while attending a travel industry conference on separate work trips. Introduced by a mutual friend, we instantly connected \u2014 the beginning of our own deep sense of aroha<\/em>.<\/p> When we returned to the UK, that connection only grew stronger. We continued to travel together, but eventually felt the pull to settle somewhere by the sea \u2014 somewhere that reflected the calm, inspiration and perspective we\u2019d both found through our journeys.<\/p> That place was Deal, on the Kent coast.<\/p> Finding Aroha on the Kent Coast<\/strong><\/p> Deal quickly became home. Here, the sea is never far away \u2014 a constant presence shaping daily life. We\u2019ve spent countless hours watching the sun rise over the horizon, the light shifting with the seasons. We\u2019ve watched the tide ebb and flow, felt the power of the sea in winter storms, and swum in its waters year-round \u2014 occasionally joined by Deal\u2019s much-loved resident seal, Sammy.<\/p> Living by the sea has given us our own slice of aroha<\/em> in the UK. It\u2019s a reminder that nature doesn\u2019t need to be dramatic to be powerful \u2014 sometimes it\u2019s the quiet consistency, the early mornings, the rhythm of the waves that brings the greatest sense of calm and awe.<\/p> We now live here with our daughter and our cocker spaniel, embracing coastal life in all its moods.<\/p> The Birth of Aroha Beach Club<\/strong><\/p> Aroha Beach Club grew from a simple desire: to share that feeling. The feeling of connection to the ocean, to community, and to the natural world. The feeling of standing by the sea at sunrise, grounded yet full of possibility.<\/p> Our clothing is inspired by coastal living, by New Zealand\u2019s welcoming spirit, and by the idea that what you wear can reflect how you choose to live. A Sunrise State of Mind<\/em>. Calm, open-hearted and quietly adventurous.<\/p> Aroha Beach Club is our way of bringing together everything that has shaped us \u2014 travel, the sea, culture, family and connection \u2014 and sharing it with others. From distant shores to the Kent coast, this is our story, and we\u2019re glad you\u2019re here to be part of it.<\/p>","urlTitle":"invicta-beach-club-our-story","url":"\/blog\/invicta-beach-club-our-story\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/invicta-beach-club-our-story\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/arohabeachclub.com\/blog\/invicta-beach-club-our-story\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1752661685,"updatedAt":1767021948,"publishedAt":1767021947,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":402186,"name":"Aroha Beach Club"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wttpxsyb7da2yzuuy9sy5e1pyovuh5vntubzcxvdqpocgmqa.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wttpxsyb7da2yzuuy9sy5e1pyovuh5vntubzcxvdqpocgmqa.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wttpxsyb7da2yzuuy9sy5e1pyovuh5vntubzcxvdqpocgmqa.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":54177,"title":"Aroha: More Than a Word","url":"\/blog\/aroha-more-than-a-word\/","urlTitle":"aroha-more-than-a-word","division":402186,"description":"At the heart of Aroha Beach Club is a single word that carries a depth of meaning far beyond its five letters: Aroha. Often translated simply as \u201clove\u201d, aroha in te reo M\u0101ori (the M\u0101ori language) encompasses much more. It speaks to compassion, empathy, respect, generosity and connection \u2014 to people, to place, and to the natural world","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hhuhmsxkbipojmhevs1ynf0popjlhqy1i3x1vfdjexrwiobn.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/hhuhmsxkbipojmhevs1ynf0popjlhqy1i3x1vfdjexrwiobn.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}