For Kylie Bell ’09, creativity has always been part of her story. From singing in the Harbor Blues to working in the fashion world, she has long been drawn to art, design, and vintage treasures. Today, that creative instinct has taken a new form, with the launch of The ACK Sack, a distinctive line of bags inspired by Nantucket lightship baskets.
Kylie’s path to entrepreneurship has been anything but predictable. After growing up in Southport and attending college at Tulane in New Orleans, she moved to New York City upon graduating in 2013. After a plethora of odd jobs and internships, she found herself as a celebrity stylist assistant, responsible for pulling accessories for red carpet events. She later became a manager at The RealReal, an online marketplace for resale luxury goods, where she traveled all five boroughs, digging through some of the most fabulous closets throughout the city. These experiences sharpened her eye for design and style, and made her realize she wanted to start a creative venture of her own.
In 2019, she unexpectedly found herself moving to Las Vegas. “I came out for a girls’ weekend and ended up meeting my husband,” Kylie recalls, laughing. “Now I’m living here with a beautiful view of Red Rock Canyon.” While Las Vegas offered a dramatic change of scenery, it initially lacked the creative outlets she had grown accustomed to.
Looking for a creative project of her own, Kylie stumbled upon the idea that would eventually become The ACK Sack. “I had a grocery bag printed with an Hermès Birkin on it and thought it was such a clever idea,” she explains. That moment sparked the idea of a printed tote bag featuring the classic Nantucket basket design, especially after a kismet discovery in a Vegas thrift store, where she found a Nantucket basket she would then use for her initial design.
Turning the idea into reality required persistence. Kylie had the vintage basket photographed, worked with a factory to develop the product, and began reaching out to retailers on Nantucket to see if anyone would carry it. The response exceeded her expectations. “The first store ordered a small amount and quickly put in another order of 500,” she says.
Since then, the business has continued to grow. Kylie recently partnered with the Nantucket Historical Association on a special edition bag, featuring a basket made by one of the island's most prolific weavers, José Formoso Reyes. A portion of the proceeds will support the organization’s work preserving the island’s history. Her design is also patent pending, an exciting milestone as she continues to expand the brand.
Today, the ACK Sack can be found in select stores on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, as well as in New Canaan and Boston. Kylie has launched a new website while exploring pop-up events, including one at the Greenwich Polo Club this past spring. Part of the appeal, she explains, is that the bags offer a playful and accessible way to celebrate the tradition of Nantucket baskets, which are often expensive and collectible. “There’s a renewed appreciation for heritage brands and classic style,” Kylie says. “People are gravitating toward timeless pieces again.”
Kylie credits much of her aesthetic sensibility to her mother, Susan, who introduced her to antiquing and thrifting from a young age. “We used to go to vintage stores together all the time,” she says. “That really shaped my love of unique and well-made things.” Her time at GFA also played an important role in shaping her confidence and creative interests. The school was a constant presence in the Bell family’s life—her siblings Curren ’07 and Ian ’15 are also alumni. During her time on campus, Kylie was part of the Harbor Blues and vividly remembers the first time she had to sing alone in front of the entire school. “It was terrifying,” she says. “But once I did it, I felt this huge sense of accomplishment.”
Moments like that helped build confidence and resilience, qualities that have served her well as an entrepreneur. She also credits GFA with instilling the importance of hard work and perseverance. “GFA really taught me the value of putting in the work and pushing yourself,” she says. Kylie also remembers the encouragement she received from faculty members like Ed Denes and OJ Burns, who supported her individuality and helped create an environment where students felt comfortable exploring their interests.
Like many business owners, Kylie has learned along the way, from navigating production logistics to managing customer expectations. “Starting a business is definitely a learning curve,” she says. “You have to be willing to adapt and figure things out as you go.” Looking ahead, Kylie is excited about the future of The ACK Sack. She currently has a collaboration with the brand Hill House, featuring photos of Nantucket baskets paired with Hill House’s classic prints, expanding the ACK Sack's reach even further.
As The ACK Sack continues to grow, Kylie approaches her work with the same confidence and creativity she first began developing on Beachside Avenue. What started as a spark of inspiration has grown into something larger: a chance to turn her eye for design and love of vintage style into a brand that reflects both tradition and imagination.