“The dream started when I was seven, selling flowers to tourists in Fiji”
For Sacha Alagich, founder and director of Escape to Paradise, the seeds of entrepreneurship were planted early. At just seven years old, she ran a flower stall at a Fijian resort. That island encounter sparked a lifelong love for tropical living, and a vision that would eventually evolve into a global brand.
Escape to Paradise is now a luxury homewares, swimwear, and accessories label that blends the essence of island life with everyday elegance. The brand’s offerings, ranging from beach bags to decor, have found homes in department stores across the U.S., Europe, and Australia, as well as in luxury resorts across French Polynesia and Southeast Asia.
“I didn’t have a forklift, just a dream and 50 cartons of handbags”
In 2009, Sacha decided to leap from her magazine career into entrepreneurship. Her first product line, tropical-inspired handbags, arrived unceremoniously in a delivery truck. With no warehouse or forklift, her mother helped unload box after box into their family home, transforming the house into a makeshift distribution center.
With no business training and minimal guidance, Sacha began selling at Bondi Beach markets. The response was encouraging but slow. Realizing markets weren’t scalable, she quit her full-time job, joined trade shows, and signed on wholesale reps. That decision was a turning point, catapulting her brand into global visibility.
Building a brand from scratch without formal business education brought a steep learning curve. Sacha admits there were mistakes along the way, but her persistence paid off. Today, Escape to Paradise is not only commercially successful but also socially conscious.
For every product sold online, a tree is planted in a reforestation project. Thousands of trees later, Sacha sees it as a small way to give back to the Earth while reinforcing the brand’s connection to nature and sustainability.
“We’ve gone from market stalls to magazine covers and prime retail streets”
The growth has been remarkable. Escape to Paradise has graced the cover of Grazia, appeared on Australian television shows like The Block and House Rules, and been stocked in high-profile locations like Wall Street and Hollywood Boulevard. Perhaps more meaningful are the loyal customers who’ve supported the brand from its earliest market days, and still carry their original tropical handbags.
“Our goal now is expansion across Southeast Asia and new lifestyle collections”
Looking ahead, Sacha has ambitious plans. The brand is targeting Southeast Asia for growth, where the climate and aesthetic are a natural fit. A new swimwear collection is already in the works for 2026, alongside an activewear range and travel accessories.
Each piece continues to reflect her core ethos: joy, color, and the feeling of being on vacation, even at home.
“The Aloha spirit is the soul of everything we do”
At the heart of Escape to Paradise is a philosophy rooted in Hawaiian culture, what Sacha calls the “Aloha spirit.” It’s more than branding; it’s a lifestyle that values kindness, harmony, and respect for nature. These values show up not just in product design but in company culture, customer engagement, and sustainable practices.
Few entrepreneurs can say they were once ranked fourth in the world for tandem surfing. But for Sacha, that experience in acrobatic ocean performance shaped her perspective on risk, teamwork, and beauty. The grace of those moments on the waves now lives on through every curated product in her line.
“None of this would be possible without my team”
Sacha is quick to point out that Escape to Paradise isn’t a solo mission. The long-serving team of designers, manufacturers, and support staff plays a critical role in turning visions into reality. Their shared commitment to spreading the Aloha spirit is what keeps the brand growing, and glowing.
