Luxury travel and fashion collide to raise awareness of manta rays in Seychelles

Luxury adventure travel specialist, Explorations Company, has announced a partnership with British luxury swimwear company, LOVE BRAND & Co. The collaboration will feature a bespoke limited edition swimwear collection, designed to raise awareness of the Seychelles’ incredible manta rays and protect our oceans.

The exclusive ‘Which way to the tropics?‘, inspired by the majestic manta ray and the cerulean waters of the Indian Ocean, will feature two designs by LOVE BRAND & Co. Founder and CEO Oliver Tomalin. The aim of the collection is to support marine conservation and research efforts in Seychelles and the vital work being done through the Seychelles Manta Ray Project (SMRP).

Manta ray populations have declined drastically worldwide in recent decades due to bycatch and targeted fishing practices. As manta rays grow and reproduce slowly, the impact of these unsustainable pressures on global populations is putting them at risk of extinction. In the Seychelles, manta rays are currently unaffected by these targeted fishing efforts, largely due to the remote and isolated nature of their aggregations. The resident populations of the outer islands of the Seychelles archipelago therefore represent an exciting opportunity to better understand this enigmatic species and develop effective conservation strategies to protect them from future threats both regionally and across the Indian Ocean.

The SMRP was established in 2013 by the Save Our Seas Foundation and The Manta Trust and, in partnership with the Alphonse Foundation, has now identified over 470 individual manta rays over the past decade using photographs of the unique pattern of spots on each manta ray’s belly. The SMRP’s research efforts to better understand the population size, movement patterns and connectivity of manta rays across the Seychelles have also included satellite and acoustic tagging studies, as well as surveys of feeding ecology at aggregation sites, all of which have served to highlight important habitats for the species across the archipelago, including behaviours specific to different atolls.

By promoting its research efforts alongside sustainable ecotourism, SMRP is expanding its understanding of the biology and conservation needs of manta rays in order to protect them through informed local management and national policy such as marine protected areas. Guests visiting Seychelles with Explorations Company are encouraged to experience (and play a part in) the crucial work being done here, by participating in weekly manta ray surveys, swimming with manta rays and gaining a better understanding of the behaviours of these magnificent and charismatic creatures.

“We are thrilled to partner with impact-driven luxury travel brand, Explorations Company. Sharing a love of luxury travel and common values ​​and respect for the natural world, our collaborative print ‘Which Way to The Tropics’ highlights the ongoing need to protect our oceans and the breathtaking world within. We are pleased to support the brilliant conservation and research efforts of the Seychelles Manta Ray Project alongside our friends at Explorations Company through this collaboration,” says Oliver Tomalin, Founder and CEO of LOVE BRAND & Co.

“Responsible travel that makes a direct contribution to the region is at the heart of what we do at Explorations Company. We are committed to protecting our planet and so it is a joy to partner with a like-minded responsible brand like LOVE BRAND & Co. to help raise awareness of the amazing work currently being undertaken by the Seychelles Manta Ray Project. Not only do we love this capsule collection, but we hope future customers will love it and wear it when they travel with us to magical destinations like the Seychelles, where we offer the opportunity to be part of such projects, making a positive contribution while enjoying their holiday,” says Nicola Shepherd, Founder of Explorations Company.

As part of Explorations Company’s commitment to philanthropic travel and in support of the vital work undertaken by the foundation and sister projects, for every trip booked to Seychelles through Explorations Company, the company will donate 2.5% of the trip value (over the next 12 months) to the Alphonse Foundation for the Seychelles Manta Ray Project. Similarly, LOVE BRAND & Co. has committed to donating a minimum of USD 1,000 this year.

The “Which Way To The Tropics” collection features swim shorts for men and children in two models. It will be available in Love Brand & Co stores from July 10, 2024 and can be purchased online from July 12, 2024.