THIS is a "short" story - literally - about a Bermudian who traded his island lifestyle for the adrenaline rush of smoke jumping above the burning forests of Montana. When he returned with his beautiful American wife five years ago, he took a simple concept ? his favourite pair of Bermuda shorts ? and transformed them into a new trend in island fashion.

Geordie and Kirsten Wardman met while working for the United States Forestry Department in Idaho, Wyoming and eventually Montana. The couple flung themselves out of aeroplanes to fight raging forest fires as smoke jumpers. But when Kirsten became pregnant, their adrenaline-infused lifestyle seemed inappropriate and the couple traded snow-capped mountains for the pink beaches of Bermuda. met the couple at their home, Cliff Top, overlooking a private beach at Tuckers Town.

"It's beautiful here ? the scene constantly changes," Kirsten says with a smile as she reaches down to pat the family pooch, Winston.

The couple are wearing their "creation" ? Geordie sporting a pair of pale long pants adorned with a red lobsters and Kirsten in a pastel blue skirt dotted with tiny cocktail glasses.

When asked how they came up with the concept for Bermuda Styles ? their unique range of Bermuda shorts, skirts and long pants ? Geordie says the idea had been simmering for ages.

"I've always worn Bermuda shorts ?they're the best. But they take hours to dry. This idea evolved from wanting Bermuda shorts that would be more all-round, something you can wear to work and to the beach."

Bermuda shorts are traditionally made of linen or stiff cotton and the couple felt it would be more practical to find a soft hybrid fabric that would not only wear well, but dry quickly ? blending the traditional above-the-knee fashion with bathing-suit freedom.They spent 18 months researching various fabrics until they found a soft suede micro-fibre that suited their needs.

"We wanted to create a unique product ? durable from water to the workplace," he adds.

Kirsten's spiny lobster, marlin, blue crab, cocktail glasses and sailboat designs showcase the island lifestyle they have both come to love and add to the uniqueness of their product.

We wanted to make them a little different. At the time there were no Bermuda shorts with prints, so we wanted to make them fun and original," she explains.

"We thought the solids would be more popular, but people latched onto the prints, so we did more of those.

"When we came up with the idea we were like 'This is good, this is original' and people are drawn to original things," Kirsten says.

There are about 300 stores in the United States selling their version of Bermuda shorts and while the majority of their sales are still online, the shorts are also sold locally from AS Coopers men's store, while the latest addition ? skirts ? are available from AS Cooper's at the Fairmont Southampton and Coral Beach Club.

Each item of clothing comes with a tag explaining the history behind the print and gives the wearer a little insight into Bermuda.

"In this way we also promote Bermuda," Geordie adds.

Have the sacrifices they've made over the last five years paid off? Kirsten nods and replies that they are making a profit and sales do increase every year, but it will be a while before they start giving themselves pay cheques.

She explains that every penny goes back into expanding the line and with help from business partners, Dave Hoidal and Travis Holland, they are also trying to break into the European market.

Nearing their fifth year on the island, the Wardman's fill their lives with family and business, although sometimes it's hard to distinguish between the two, Kirsten adds: "It's a lot of work and sometimes it's a roller-coaster ride. There is no cut-off between personal life and work and sometimes that's hard, but that's the nature of the game."

The fact that the couple wear their product is testament to their belief in what they are doing and despite the long hours and sleepless nights, they agree that starting their own business is proving to be as big an adventure as jumping out of aeroplanes.