Introducing the Dappled Darlings Retreat—A Step Away for Women With Vitiligo
A year ago, we asked our community a simple question: If we built something new for Living Dappled, what would you actually want it to be?
We shared a handful of ideas. Digital downloads that meet you where you’re at. Intimate dinners in cities across the country. A podcast that feels like coffee with a close friend. But there was one idea that resonated the most with everyone—a retreat. The idea of being in a room together, in person, with other women who understand this experience.
So we asked more. We sent a survey. We ran a focus group with eleven women from this community and pressure-tested what we thought we’d heard. What came back was clear and consistent: Our community wants time together. Unhurried. A small group of women. A beautiful space. Where they can step away from everyday stares and feeling alone and into a space with women who get it.
That’s what we’re building. And we’re building it with you.
A First Look—What We Know So Far
The Dappled Darlings Retreat is a 3-night gathering for a small group of women with vitiligo, taking place October 13–16, 2027, in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. It’s three nights—an opening, two full days, and a closing. It’s a small group—just 10-12 women with vitiligo. It’s slow mornings, shared meals, honest conversations, and a few days of existing without having to explain your skin to anyone in the room. And it’s in a gorgeous setting—a three-story home steps from the beach with spacious rooms to gather and relax.
The Dappled Darlings Retreat
October 13-16, 2027
Murrells Inlet, SC
It’s a gathering for women 25 and up, at any point in their experience with vitiligo—whether you were diagnosed last year or have lived with this for decades. Whether you’re carrying the emotional weight of visibility, looking to build more confidence in everyday life, or simply want to spend time with others who share this experience, this retreat is for you. Show up exactly as you are—the rest happens in the room, together.
Some of the things we’re dreaming about: slow mornings with coffee and real, raw conversations. A photo shoot that turns the camera toward you, not away. An afternoon swim without the stares. An intimate dinner under the seaside sky with women who don’t need any of it explained. A room you can walk into without bracing first.
We have a lot in place—and that’s based on what you’ve told us so far. But a lot of this is still taking shape, and that’s not oversight.
The Invitation—Build This With Us
Here’s the heart of this: we have been, and always will be, a community first. We exist so that women with vitiligo don’t have to navigate life with this condition alone. And when we see a need in our community, we respond—by building it with them.
This applies here too. We’re building this retreat the same way the idea came to be—through you. We have a date, a venue, and a strong vision. The rest, we want to shape alongside you.
We know that’s an unusual way to announce something. Most launches come polished, finished, ready to sell. This one is coming to you mid-build, on purpose. Partly because that’s genuinely where we are. And partly because the reason this retreat exists at all is that our community told us what they needed better than we could have guessed on our own—so it seemed right to keep that going, out loud, instead of disappearing to finish it quietly and reappearing with a bow on it.
We’ve spent ten years as a digital community. Now it’s time to go IRL—and we want you with us as we do. You’re not just invited to this retreat—you’re invited to help us build it as it happens.
What’s Next—Join the Interest List
Applications open in early 2027, and by then we’ll have the rest of the program to share. In the interim, we want you to be part of shaping what’s next.
Our interest list is now open. This is where we’ll share behind-the-scenes updates, decisions we’re working through, and early updates about what’s next. When applications open, the interest list will get early access, too.
More is coming. We’ll keep building it with you.
For Parents—We’re Thinking of You Too
One more note. This retreat is for women with vitiligo—the women we’ve walked alongside for ten years. Over that time, we’ve also had a lot of parents of kids with vitiligo join our conversations and our spaces. That matters to us. And while we’re building this first experience for women with vitiligo, we’re also thinking about how we can create an experience for parents of kids with vitiligo too.
If you’re interested in exploring what a retreat for parents of kids with vitiligo could look like—join the Interest List, and note that you’re a parent. We want you with us when we’re ready to move this forward.
