Hello lovelies! First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who participated and posted beautiful photos of themselves rocking their various Isy B. pieces for a chance to win the makeover and photoshoot. Without a doubt, we have the most amazing client base! I only wish I could offer the makeover and photoshoot to everyone! #futuregoals
For the second year in a row, we're thrilled to present the story of another incredible and inspiring Isy B. woman through the Show Us Your Isy B. campaign 2024. And this year, the honor goes to… the amazing Laura Wood! 🎉 Laura is an environmental educator, and a self-confessed water baby as reflected in her winning entry photograph freediving underwater in her Adara swimsuit!
All we knew about Laura before meeting her for the photo shoot was that she was a true nature queen—adventurous, curious, and in love with the beauty of the natural world.
As part of her prize, Laura won a professional photoshoot wearing our vibrant Isy B. resort wear collection and a full glam makeover. Of course, she got to keep some of her favorite Isy B. items too!
Bringing the Concept to Life
At our first meeting, Laura’s elegance reminded me of the unique beauty of Barbara Streisand in the 1970s, which inspired me for our shoot and the mood board. We would go for a natural, free-spirited but decadent look. I drew inspiration from the whimsical boho glamour of the 70s as the perfect complement to Laura’s natural beauty.
With that idea guiding us I gathered my local dream team once again. Makeup and hair maestro Sonia Sajnani, photographer RC, and Lauren as our stylist. Katie O’Neill captured the activity behind the scenes, and my gorgeous intern Kylie, a young student from a local college was our photoshoot assistant.
The Makeover
Sonia contributed her vision for Laura’s makeup and hairstyle. She gave Laura a bronzed, sun-kissed goddess look that would perfectly complement the theme, achieved with an all-over spray tan. For Laura’s hair, Sonia created a modern variation of the iconic Barbra Streisand back-combed volume.
To complete the boho glam look, Lauren produced an array of playful boho accessories, including oversized gold hoops and earrings, vintage 1907s sunglasses, and chunky necklaces to go with the outfits I had chosen with Laura.
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Action Time!
Laura’s transformation was a joy to watch. All her initial anxiety and nervousness disappeared as she connected with the confident, elegant, graceful woman that she was.
She embodied the beautiful Barbara Streisand as she posed and strutted on the beach at our chosen location at Smiths Cove beach and despite it being her first professional photoshoot, it was as if she’d been doing it for years!
I love to see the transformation begin to work its magic. It reminds me of why we started the “Show Us Your Isy B.” campaign in the first place; to show everyday women just how amazing they can be. I feel so proud of Laura and grateful to the team who once again brought their genius to my vision and knocked it out of the park!
Ready to see the results? Ready, set, go!
See the Results
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Get to know Laura
Isy: As the winner of Show Us Your Isy B. you have won a professional photoshoot wearing some of the best Isy B. pieces. Have you done something similar before? And how do you feel about it?
Laura: I've never done a photo shoot before (but I did watch a lot of ANTM as a tween!). I feel a bit nervous as it's something new but I think I'll just lean into the "fake it till you make it" mentality. The fact that it's on the beach and in pieces that are so pretty will definitely help me feel comfortable!
Isy: I loved the pictures you shared on your Instagram wearing the Adara swimsuit. How do you usually incorporate Isy B. into your everyday life?
Laura: I love wearing the Adara suit when I'm snorkeling or freediving and have other plans beforehand because I can wear it as a bodysuit and still feel comfortable and cute. I love to pair it with my overalls or a pair of shorts - the perfect outfit on a boat or to grab coffee before hitting the water. The colors and patterns make me feel like I'm dressed up while being casual at the same time. I love an "easy breezy" style and this suit is perfect.
Isy: Isy B. is all about capturing the essence of feeling your absolute best and the pieces are designed to uplift and empower. How do you connect with that message?
Laura: Feeling comfortable in your body is difficult for everyone, especially women who grow up with so many mixed messages about how we "should" look. I've had so many discussions with my female friends about how our relationships with our bodies and food have changed throughout our lives. I feel very lucky in that as I've gotten older, I've grown more comfortable in my skin. Seeing a diversity of women and body types around me and online has definitely helped with that and I love that Isy B makes the effort to showcase so many different women living their best lives in these pieces.
Isy: What advice would you give other women about feeling good in their own skin and being who they are?
Laura: Personally, I've found that feeling more comfortable in my physical body has come along with feeling more comfortable with who I am as a person. Taking time to get to know myself through activities like journaling, yoga, and therapy has been really helpful - it turns out I really like who I am today.
That realization has come with a lot of growth and challenges but gaining self-confidence has made me realize how little other people's opinions matter to me. Enjoying my day at the beach, having a donut for breakfast every once in a while, and dancing with my friends makes me feel good - why should I care if my thighs are a bit bigger than another woman's? We are all just trying our best and living our lives! I still have my bad days but spending time with friends and doing things that bring me joy always helps. Life is so short and I don't want to spend it worrying about something as small as what I look like. It feels like such a treat to continue changing and growing as I get older and I'm so thankful that my body is able to carry me on this journey.
Isy: If you had to describe Isy B. to someone who has never heard of it before using only 3 words, what would these words be?
Laura: Bright, comfortable, and joyful! Because I'm in the water for work, I've worn a lot of swimsuits. I absolutely love that my Adara suit covers my body in a flattering way and I can wear it all day. The fact that there's a story behind it and I can support a local business is such a plus and the colors and patterns are just plain fun!
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Isy: What are you most excited about in your life in the upcoming 12 months?
Laura: I have travel plans to visit a few islands in Indonesia in the fall and I can't wait to see some amazing creatures. I've never been to Asia and there is some awesome marine life there (Manta rays! Wobbegong sharks!) as well as birds. I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to travel and am looking forward to exploring and making memories with friends, new and old.
Isy: Tell us a bit more about your Cayman Islands journey and how you ended up living here. What made you fall in love with the Islands?
Laura: I work as an environmental educator so in the past I've worked a lot of seasonal jobs - I move around teaching kids and adults science and have gotten to live in some beautiful places. Grand Cayman is actually the 7th island I've lived and worked on but it's the only place I've felt settled. There is such an amazing variety of ecosystems here - the coral reefs and mangroves are full of the most amazing creatures and are so fun to explore. It is so fun to take people into the waters and watch them discover the beauty for themselves.
Living here has been so different than any of the other places I've lived. I love that the island feels a bit like a small town but there are also so many things to do - I've found so many great friends and feel so lucky to have such a community surrounding me.
Isy: Our Storyteller Collections are inspired by the Cayman Islands, its nature, and culture. We can see that you also take inspiration from nature! How do you like to connect with the nature of the Islands?
Laura: Spending time in nature is one of the only things that keeps me sane! I absolutely love the marine life here on the island. I had led snorkel tours at previous jobs but when I came to Cayman and started snorkeling here I felt like I needed to explore the reefs even more. While I am also a scuba diver, I decided to take a freediving course with Freedive Cayman and it totally opened up a whole new world for me.
Not only did I make amazing friends in the freediving community but it allowed me to learn how to relax underwater. Some of my favorite things to do are exploring the caves at Eden Rock, cruising over the sea grass at Spott's, and spotting peacock flounders on the sand at Macabuca. There's nothing like swimming beside an eagle ray and looking up to see the sun rays shining through the water's surface. I'm so grateful to have found such a fun, challenging sport that is also a lovely way to relax. It makes me feel so grateful to the world around me.
Isy: Is there a special message you'd like to share about the magic of connecting with nature and how it can positively impact our lives?
I love that you used the word magic! Some will call me a hippy but spending time in nature does feel especially healing to me. When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life I wasn't sure about much but I knew I loved science and being outdoors so I studied environmental science. Through an internship with sea turtles, I found that I could work in environmental education, teaching people about all my favorite things while spending the day outdoors. It's turned out to be the perfect path for me - even on a bad day, I am doing what I love.
Getting outside, even just staring at the waves, watching the trees sway, or taking a moment to look up at the stars - there is something so meditative and relaxing about just existing in the moment. Everyone is different so find what works for you but I think taking time to appreciate the world around us helps develop an understanding of our world and, in turn, ourselves.
Isy: From your Instagram profile, it looks like you spend a lot of time in nature and have explored the Islands. Could you share with us your favourite hidden spots in Cayman to connect with nature?
Laura: While a lot of people are familiar with the beautiful coral reefs and their importance to the environment, many people don't know or understand how amazing the mangroves are. Through my work, I am able to take guests, tourists, and local students into the mangroves on kayaking tours. While many people think of the mangrove ecosystem as a swamp wetland, it is so much more than that - the mangroves provide the island with protection from storms and they act as a nursery for fish and other marine creatures. The health of our reefs depends on our mangroves.
Plus they are absolutely beautiful. Quiet refuges filled with so many birds, sea slugs, and baby fish. I've found some of the coolest animals in the mangroves - impossibly tiny baby lobsters, camouflaged seahorses, colorful nudibranchs, and more. I could talk about the mangroves for hours (and I do on my tours!). I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to get out and learn about the mangroves!
My other favorite place on the island is the Botanic Park. I love wandering the paths there, finding bananaquit nests, and basking blue iguanas. It's such a beautifully made park full of quiet spaces and colorful plants. I love supporting the National Trust and the amazing work they are doing protecting the island's natural resources.
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Laura’s Go-To Beach Outfit
As you may already know from reading Laura's interview, she is truly the queen of activity and adores exploring the island's natural beauty. So naturally, we couldn't resist asking her about her go-to Isy B. beach outfit and what she finds both comfortable and cute for her busy days on the Island. When we asked about her must-have Isy B. items, her response was immediate: “The Reversible Lace Up Swimsuit, because I practically live in bathing suits, and also the pareo sarongs, because they make for a fantastic cover-up.”
To celebrate Laura’s awesome Isy B. transformation and to show our gratitude to all of you amazing Isy B. women, we're offering a 15% discount on Laura’s favorite look throughout the month of June.
Simply use the code LAURASPICKS15 at checkout.
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*The offer is valid online only on www.isybdesign.com
Working on the Show Us Your Isy B. 2024 campaign was an absolute joy for all of us, and Laura captured our hearts with her infectious enthusiasm and positivity. The results? Simply breathtaking!
Let me tell you, we had a tough time selecting a cover image - because it was just too difficult to choose only one!
At Isy B., we embrace the art of dressing up for just because and celebrating our unique selves, and that's exactly why we launched the Show Us Your Isy B. campaign. To empower you to show the world your amazingness and let your unique beauty shine bright!
See you soon, and we hope to have you join us as a participant in Show Us Your Isy B. next year!
This project was possible thanks to:
Designer and shoot director: Isy @isybdesign
Styling: Lauren Sonnen @ramboozled
Makeup, hair and tan: Sonia Sajnani @stylebarbeautyco @thetanningloungecayman
Photography: RC @filtripvisuals
Videography: Katie O’Neill
Photoshoot assistant: Kylie
Show Us Your Isy B. 2024 winner: Laura Wood @laurawoo18