Style speaks: Rob da Bank

Style speaks to Rob da Bank

On 2020:

“2020 was a long game of two halves: emotionally draining and financially terrible for everyone, but we’re so lucky and blessed to live by the sea and spend time outside – the kids really flourished. Though I’m used to rolling with the punches, roll on 2021.”

On home and happy accidents:

“Josie’s very artistic and there’s a lot of music in the house. My life seems to thrive on happy accidents. Everything I do might seem higgledy piggledy – I’ve got a lot of threads going on – but so much comes back to music, family, and the Island.”

On the future of festivals:

“I have faith that we’ll be back. Although some artists with tours in March and April have postponed for another year, I think most people feel that May/June – Glastonbury time – will be the tipping point.”

On wellness:

“It’s amazing how the whole wellness market has exploded. I qualified as a meditation teacher in March 2020, and Josie has just qualified as a yoga teacher, so much of 2020 was spent focusing on looking after ourselves and others.”

On becoming:

“I’d like to say I wanted to be something very rock and roll like an astronaut when I was a kid, but I never really had much of a clue except for ‘something musical’. I worked at a music magazine for about 7 years before my DJ career overtook, which gave me a real work ethic and loads of interesting contacts for what would later become Bestival.”

On style:

“I admire quite a square style – mine is very messy and haphazard, which probably reflects the fact I enjoy jumping from one thing to the next with a short attention span. I’m quite envious of people with a monochrome wardrobe.”

On speaking up:

“I try not to post just random stuff on social media (though I do post random stuff!) or get too politically on my high horse because there’s plenty of other people doing that and it’s probably not helpful to add to the noise.”

On the Island:

“I love being an unofficial ambassador for the Isle of Wight – it’s where our kids are growing up – and shouting about the Island charities I’m involved with, from the Rob da Bank Music Club

to the Ellen Macarthur Cancer Trust.”

Rob and Josie da Bank have practised yoga and meditation together for over 20 years. Encompassing everything from breath work to gong baths, Sleep Retreat – which began as a physical festival presence – offers bespoke, modular pop-up retreats for those who want to learn to live day-by-day in the 21st century.

sleepretreat.net @hellosleepretreat